Duty Calls
by Sucker4Scandal
Summary: Olivia is the newly elected President of the United States. She is persistently trying find her way and make her mark in history as the first female leader of the free world. Fitz is the best fixer in the game. He is there whenever you need him and in Washington D.C. someone always needs him. It's an impossible situation for Fitz & Olivia, but the heart wants what it wants.
1. Chapter 1

**Speech Therapy**

She was on television again. It was the second time this week. She was speaking about the men and women who had lost their lives while serving their country by trying to keep order in a desert far away. They had done an excellent job until they had come under fire from the enemy and paid the ultimate price with their lives. She didn't have to tell the public the sad news herself, but he knew that she would feel compelled to just the same.

Taking off his navy suit jacket and carefully laying it across the end of the black leather sofa, Fitz went to the refrigerator to grab a beer. He came back into the living room, loosened his tie, and sat down in front of his tv with the remote in his hand. He turned the volume up a bit, tossed the device onto the coffee table in front of him, and leaned back on the sofa, letting his legs fall open as he watched her speak. Watched everything about her. Bringing the beer bottle up to his lips, Fitz mentally took notes on things that needed to be changed before the next time she was on television.

She had a bad habit of licking her lips every so often. If it was distracting to him, then it was probably distracting to the average viewer too. She also raised her eyebrows when she was trying to stress a point. Those weren't big deals. Not really. If he mentioned them to her once, Olivia would stop doing them immediately. The thing he saw that bothered him the most was what he knew Olivia had some control over but wouldn't change no matter how much he mentioned it.

Sleep needed to be made a priority very soon. She looked tired. She looked beautiful too, but the fatigue was starting to show through. He would have to figure out a way to talk to her about it. She wasn't really listening to him these days though. And wasn't that infuriating and maddening at the same time to have to come to terms with? Still, he would try because she was a client of his and because she needed to not look worn to the bone on national television. Something had to give. She couldn't continue this way. It wasn't good for her health or the country.

If other world leaders saw a tiny exhausted one here, they might get ideas. Ideas to attack their neighbor who has a tired looking President. The fact that she was the first female leader of the United States of America would encourage them to see just how far they could push her. They would try to push her regardless of how tired she looked but because she was a woman in charge of the most powerful country on Earth, they would try all the more. That would be a mistake on their part. But they would try, he knew.

Not wanting to think about foreign leaders threatening to attack her, Fitz gave Olivia his full attention once again. The red dress she was wearing was both patriotic and fitting for the topic she was discussing. He could only see her from the chest up as she sat behind her large wooden desk, but the color suited her very well. Her hands were clasped in front of her, sitting on top of the desk. Her hair was perfectly styled and fell bone flat against her head, as was her habit. Unless she was attending a party or dinner or some equally boring function that demanded she look fancier. She had pearls at her throat, and they looked elegant against her beautiful brown skin. She was poised and her words were perfectly measured, conveying solemn gratitude for the fallen hero's service. Still, no matter how well her people put her together, they couldn't quite mask her exhaustion.

The topic of her getting enough sleep had been brought up once before. When Olivia had been campaigning for the job she currently held, Fitz had told her in no uncertain terms that she had to slow down some and get more rest. And Olivia had told him quite plainly that she would rest when she got the position she was working so hard to attain. Until then, she told Fitz that he needed to let her do whatever was necessary to get it. Now she had the job, and still she had no intentions of slowing down.

He wished she took better care of herself. Her husband should be thoughtful enough to encourage her to get a little more sleep. But these days, William Swann was a very busy man himself. He had just about every reporter in America wanting to interview or photograph him. He was the first official First Gentleman of the country and everyone wanted to know what that meant and how he lived his life.

William was not that complex of a man, in Fitz's opinion. He came from money his parent's left him before they died several years ago. He had a loud voice and a matching loud opinion on just about everything and was willing to share it with anyone with ears. He was interesting, but not worthy of pursuit by every news outlet over the most mundane topics. Still, everyday a large group gathered to get his opinion on any and everything from foreign affairs to how he preferred his steak cooked.

Olivia had run for President using her maiden name and kept it once she won the election. It was a source of contention between her and William, but it was also one she refused to change. The two of them had been married for eight years and they seemed happy together. The way things seemed and the way they really were oftentimes are very different.

He dropped his aggravation for William and his worry about Olivia faded some as he chose to concentrate and listen to her words instead. Words he knew she would say because he had helped to craft the speech. Fine tune it, really. In fact, he had just gotten home from her office where he had been summoned by her right hand. He had no idea what he was needed for earlier and when Fitz asked, he was simply told, "she needs you."

That could mean anything. Literally. Emotional support, cleaning up a mess of her, Will's, or someone else's making, an intervention, listening to her vent, or any number of things. In this case her speech needed to be gone over by someone with fresh eyes. They called him for all manner of things, and he always came to help. He would do anything for her. He already had gone way above and beyond his job description, but he never complained. Not to anyone, least of all her.

Fitz had to change into a suit and then make his way to the White House. As always, Olivia's Chief of Staff met him in the hall and led him to the Oval Office. "It was good of you to come on such short notice."

"Of course. Whatever I can do to help."

The two men stopped at Olivia's secretary's desk and she made eye contact with both of them. "You can go in. She's expecting you, Mr. Grant."

Fitz glanced at Mr. Beene and he shrugged and said, "I've got things to do before she goes live on air later. Whatever she needs. Just get it done!"

Cyrus could be intimidating if Fitz let him. Instead, he turned back to the door where an armed man stood guard. He ignored Fitz altogether as he turned the doorknob and stepped inside the Oval Office. Once inside, Fitz found the woman he had voted for sitting behind the resolute desk looking at a neatly typed piece of white paper. He went to the opposite side of the desk, quietly standing at attention much like the guard outside the door, waiting for an invitation to either sit down or be told what to do.

As he waited, Fitz found a bit of irony in the situation. She had asked for help with her speech, but when she ran for President Olivia was never unsure of her words. Ever. She was the perfect speaker, holding a captivated audience in the palm of her hand. She made the people she was addressing feel like they were her oldest friends and that she was trusting them with her most private secrets. It didn't matter if she was on television or talking to you in person at a town hall meeting. Everything else faded away somehow and it felt like it was just the two of you. She always possessed that gift naturally while the masses tended to avoid public speaking. Most people didn't like the spotlight shining on them for all to see. Most people weren't Olivia Pope though. And most people weren't in her position, having no choice but to talk publicly because of the job she was after.

Her charisma and the way she made you feel like whatever you were talking about with her was the most important thing in the entire world at that moment was what won her over in the hearts of the American people. It wasn't even close between her and the other candidate. She won by a landslide. It was something Fitz was immensely proud of her for.

Lost in his thoughts, Fitz momentarily forgot where he was until Olivia finally looked up at him, gave a curt smile, and wordlessly handed him the speech. He reached across the desk and took it from her, being careful to not touch her. "I don't know about this. It just seems…wrong somehow? I was hoping you could take a few minutes to look over it and tell me that I'm wrong."

Fitz held her gaze as she spoke and concentrated on what she was saying. Her beauty always captivated him, to the point of distraction at times but at this moment, he needed to keep things professional. It had been much simpler to discuss important matters in a more casual setting than here at the White House. But this was not a personal visit. It was business. Keeping eye contact with his clients was of the utmost importance in his job. Besides, he was listening to the leader of the free world. She deserved his full attention.

Reluctantly, he tore his eyes away from her big chocolate ones and began reading the words in front of him. She was right. He was no speech writer, but there was something off about it. He looked at her and without asking pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and began making notes on it.

She came around her desk to stand beside him, looking to see what he had changed.

"See?" He lowered the paper so she could look at what he had changed. She had on heels, but her short stature was no match for his naturally much taller one. He had noticed the scent of her perfume floating around the room since he had walked in, but now, with her in a much closer proximity, it filled his nostrils. Fitz tried to ignore the alluring scent. "Moving this over here makes a much bolder statement and you'll connect with your audience a thousand percent better."

She read it. Then re-read it again, giving him a smile when she was finished. "You're right. That is better. The whole speech somehow flows so much more fluidly. If the fixing game ever gets old, you could have a new career as a writer."

"Thank you, Madam President but I can't see myself doing anything other than being a fixer. I enjoy helping other people and have always liked to be able to solve puzzles. Being a fixer is the best of both of those aspects."

"I can't imagine how available you are for other clients when my office constantly calls you for silly things like speech corrections? I'm sorry for interrupting your afternoon." He looked amazing. It had only been a few weeks since she had seen him last and Olivia realized that was entirely too long for her liking. On the other hand, it was good that they had put some space between them. They were drawn to each other like magnets, and while she truly enjoyed being around Fitz, sometimes magnets damage other things in their invisible pull.

He smiled at her. She had no idea that he would immediately clear his schedule for her for any reason at all. "It's no problem. I serve at the pleasure of the President, just like everyone else does."

"Well, not quite like everyone else does." She kept her eyes on the paper, but her meaning was conveyed crystal clear to him. He wasn't just someone at her beck and call, he was her friend. More than that really, but those things weren't discussed in the Oval Office. Olivia looked up into his sparkling blue eyes and extended her hand toward him. She knew she would regret it, but duty drove her manners these days. The moment his hand slid into hers, she felt that electric spark. The same spark she felt every other time they touched each other.

She dropped her eyes from his and smiled politely. "Thank you again for coming on such short notice. And for being so helpful. This administration appreciates everything you do."

"As always, you're welcome, Madam President." Fitz stopped shaking her hand but held it for a moment. When her brown eyes flicked back up to his, he added, "Please take care of yourself."

Olivia pulled her hand from his and went back around to the other side of her large desk and took her seat. She had to put some space between them now. "I'm a very busy woman. This country doesn't run itself you know?"

"I apologize for suggesting that you have lots of leisure time." He took the few steps to stand in front of her and waited until she looked back up at him. She looked weary when she finally did. "Take care of yourself, Liv. Please."

He brought a hand up and while cupping her cheek, gently brushed the much darker skin under her eye with his thumb. "You're not getting enough sleep and it shows."

Olivia wanted nothing more than to just melt into him. To let him take care of her and chastise her for thinking she had to be everywhere, in every meeting, all the time as her way of showing that a woman could indeed do the job as President and do it well! But she couldn't let him do those things. In fact, he needed to stop touching her now. Before someone walked into her office wanting something or needing her somewhere. She snapped out of her Fitz trance and took a small step backwards. "I'll try to get a little more rest. But I've only been here for a few months and there is still a lot that requires my attention every single day. I want to stay on top of things. I need to."

He nodded. She was in Presidential mode and nothing he could say would be able to break through that. He knew from experience. So he played his part. "The press conference will be fine. I'll be watching from home. Have a good evening, Madam President."

"Goodnight, Fitz." Olivia said, and went back to work instead of watching him walk out the door. The moment she heard it close, she looked up with a sad expression. She missed him much more than she should. She knew he was right. She needed to make herself a priority. But she didn't know how to do that while running a country and trying to prove herself worthy of the role?

She sighed loudly and went back to her speech. No sooner had her eyes landed on the paper, than her door opened. She glanced up and saw Cyrus striding into the room and taking the seat on the other side of her desk like he owned the place. "Well?" he impatiently asked. "What did he say?"

Olivia handed the paper to him from across the desk. "He made a few changes. Nothing drastic. It is better though. I don't know. Maybe I've been looking at it entirely too long and it was fine before he got here? What do you think?"

The older man's face turned into a frown as he continued to read, but it wasn't an unhappy expression. He nodded a few times as his eyes continued to scan the paper, taking in the changes along the way. "It is better. It makes a better connection to the audience. It doesn't dumb it down and it doesn't seem too patronizing." He glanced at her with the paper still in his hand and pointed a finger at her. "The American people will love you more for that."

Ah yes, she also had to make sure the American people were in love with her every minute of every day too. On top of everything else she had going on. She wished she could take Fitz's advice and go to sleep right now. She felt like she could sleep for days. Instead, she told Cyrus, "great. Have the speech loaded onto the prompter. I'll go get into hair and make-up and then get dressed. We should be ready to do this in less than an hour."

"I'll meet you back here at six forty-five and we'll get the ball rolling."

"...and God bless America." Olivia waited until she got the signal and then she unclipped the mini microphone from her dress, grabbed her cellphone, and stood up. She left the Oval and everyone inside of it. She was bone weary and wanted nothing more than to close her eyes.

Everyone she passed bid her a goodnight. She smiled and repeated the sentiment back to each of them as she continued walking towards the residence. The Secret Service members kept up with her brisk pace, but stopped when Olivia did the moment they cleared the top of the stairway at the residence. She reached down and pulled off her heels, sighing loudly before continuing on.

She scrolled through her phone, looking for the contact she needed to speak to. She found it in the alphabetically ordered contacts. He was listed simply as Fixer. Olivia knew it was a bad idea, but she wanted to talk to him. To thank him for helping her with the speech. It was a terrible excuse because she had already thanked him. In person when he fixed the damn thing. Talking to him would only make things worse. And by things, she meant the ache she felt for him. The need as well.

Her hand was dropped back down to her side. She would speak to him another day. She was being childish, and it just wouldn't do. It wasn't how the President was supposed to act!

Then again. She was the first female President of the United States of America. No precedence had been set for something like this. She was the first of her kind. A trailblazer! A badass!

She stopped walking again and leaned up against a nearby wall.

There was a great sense of freedom in those thoughts. Thoughts she probably shouldn't be having in the first place, but at this moment, she didn't really care. She pulled the phone back up, touched his name, and brought the device to her ear and listened to the ringing.

Her Secret Service agents fanned out a little and kept watch while their boss made her phone call.

She began to feel deflated. The call was going to go to voicemail. He was probably busy with work, or...maybe out on a date. Maybe he was simply avoiding her all together? God knew she deserved that. She shouldn't have called him. It was a stupid idea.

The chiming stopped and she heard his deep baritone voice telling who he was and asking her to leave a message. She ended the call and took a deep breath. It was for the best, she decided. He was stronger than she was, and she needed that right now. The strength and will power to just stay away from him.

She resumed heading towards her living space for the next four years, walking much slower than she had been. She opened the door to the Presidential living room, hoping to catch her husband and hear about his day, but the room was empty and dark.

Olivia turned on the light and plopped down on the sofa. It felt good to relax for a minute. She grabbed the remote and turned on the television to see what was being said about her speech. The reporter had just started talking about it when Olivia's cell phone began to chime.

The rectangular device was still in her hand and she brought it up to see who wanted her attention now? The smile was on her face before she had the chance to know how she felt about it. Fixer was calling.

She wasn't going to overthink it or analyze it to death. Olivia swiped her finger across the screen, put her phone up to her ear, and politely said, "hi."

"Hi. I'm sorry I missed your call. I was in the shower. Is everything okay?"

She smiled at his words. He had been in the shower. Not working late or out on a date. And now she was imagining Fitz in the shower. She had been in the shower with him before, so she knew exactly what that vision of sexiness looked like. His wet curls plastered to his head, rivulets of water running down his broad hairy chest, and his hands roaming all over her body.

She really shouldn't have answered the phone.

"Liv?"

Olivia cleared her throat, hoping it would clear the mental images from her mind as well. "Everything is fine. I just wanted to thank you again with your help with my speech earlier. It was infinitely better."

"That's really why you called? To tell me something you already told me?" he asked her.

Damn him for knowing her so well. She could say yes and end the call. She's the President after all!

"Why'd you really call me, Liv?" he asked. "The truth this time."

She didn't hesitate. "I miss you."

"You didn't seem like you missed me earlier? You were very much business as usual."

"We were in the Oval, Fitz. Did you expect me to get undressed and bend over my desk?"

"It wouldn't be the first time we've done that in there." he chuckled.

"You're not helping."

"I miss you too. I know you are trying to do everything perfectly. To be the perfect President. To prove to the people who elected you, as well as yourself, that you are doing a great job as the first female President. You already are doing that. America loves you. Your approval rating is already higher than the last three Presidents at this point in their first term. You're doing the damn thing!"

"There's a price for all of that though. It means I can't be with you and I don't know if I can pay it?" she admitted.

"The trade off is worth it. You are breathing rare air on sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue. You will be talked about for centuries. You are the first female President, Liv! Besides, I'll still be around. You'll still need me to fix things. And seeing you is better than not seeing you." It was killing him to admit. He didn't want to pay the price either. He wanted her to remain President and he wanted to be able to see her whenever he wanted to however he wanted to. But that's not what she needed to hear right now.

"You're right."

He needed to change the subject. "You were great on tv tonight. The red dress was perfection on you."

"You're just saying that because you bought it." she giggled.

There was little in this world that calmed him like her laugh. "Well, I do have great taste. Obviously."

He was flirting with her but trying desperately not to. It made her smile. "Obviously." she echoed.

The door to the living room opened. Olivia dropped the happy smile that was just taking up residence on her face. She sat up a little straighter on the sofa as her husband strolled in. He ignored his wife completely as he poured himself a drink and took a healthy swallow.

"I've got to go now but thank you again for your help today."

"Get your ass to bed Madam President." he commanded.

Olivia shivered at his authoritative tone. "I'm going now. Goodnight."

"Nite, Livvie."

_I love the idea for this story, but it makes me nervous. Nervous because I don't know if I can do the story justice. I wanted to do something really different for Fitz & Liv & this is what I came up with. It will have some similarities as the show, but not be a carbon copy of it. Also, this story won't be updated near as often as the ones I have written in the past because I am currently working on two others. When I get a few chapters ahead on those stories, I will share them too. If you have a minute, please let me know what you honestly think about this beginning. Honesty is not the same as rudeness. I don't love every story I come across either, but I don't leave hateful comments. That's not productive. My FF & Twitter DM's are always open for a more in depth chat if you prefer. _


	2. More Than Meets the Eye

**More Than Meets the Eye**

"Huck, I've got to go to the Hill. See what you can find out about a woman on the President's staff, named Margaret Timmons. I need everything you can learn about her by the time I get back."

"You going to meet with Senator McCormick?" Huck asked as he looked up from his spot behind the computer monitor in his office.

"Yea. I'm fairly certain there's a whole lot more to it than what I was told." Fitz replied, leaning on the door frame. Looking around his associate's office, Fitz had no idea how Huck got anything done in there. The place was little more than wall to wall computer screens. There wasn't any paper or files or even a phone in the office. But Huck wasn't known for his people skills. He was known for getting shit done, and because of that, Fitz never questioned how his muscular counterpart went about his business.

Huck leaned back in his chair and looked up at his boss. "What did you expect from a phone call on an unsecured line?"

"Good point." There were times when Huck's background of working with the CIA benefited what both men currently did for a living. Fitz could keep up with most of the jargon. Hell, a lot of it was used in casual conversation when no one else was around the office. But there were a few things that Huck was still slowly teaching his civilian boss.

"I'll have everything you need on Margaret Timmons within the hour." Huck informed his boss.

"Great. Thanks, Huck. I've got my phone if you need me for anything." Fitz assured him before heading for the door.

He walked out of his office and caught the elevator, pressing the button for the floor level. As he rode down, Fitz checked his schedule for the rest of the day. He had another meeting later that afternoon with a new client back at his office and he also had to start working on Margaret. It was already shaping up to be a busy day and he was glad for it. Busy meant the day would go by faster and he wouldn't have time on his hands to wonder about things he had no need to wonder about. Busy was good.

Fitz knocked briskly on the office door of the Senator from Ohio before walking in to meet the man. It happened in an instant, the moment their eyes landed on each other. Each man silently and quickly assessed the other. The evaluation was over in the blink of an eye before warm friendly smiles were politely put into place.

Senator McCormick extended his arm and was met with an equally firm grip. The two men shook hands and the senator said, "thank you for coming. I didn't know who to call. Your name was recommended to me by someone in my office."

"It's no problem." Fitz assured the Midwestern Senator. "What can I help you with? I was only told that your people skills needed brushing up on."

The Senator gestured to one of the visitor chairs in his office. "Please have a seat." He sat down wearily behind his desk. "People skills. Jesus. I don't know whether to be proud of the creativity or sad that someone had to come up with that as a reason to get you here?" he said with a grimace.

Fitz simply listened quietly.

"The people who work for me are very loyal. Very dedicated. They wouldn't have a job in my office if they weren't. I do have a problem but it's probably not what you think."

"Why don't you explain the situation to me, and we'll see how to get your people skills just where they need to be?" Fitz offered.

"I'm having an affair." The Senator replied flatly.

Fitz's expression never changed. He continued to sit in the uncomfortable chair and listen to Mr. McCormick.

The Senator studied the expression on the other mans' face and marveled that it remained unchangeable. He didn't know what kind of reaction he was hoping for, but the steadfast focus he got settled him somehow. "They said you were good." The Senator remarked mildly. He got to his feet a moment later and went to a decanter. "Do you drink?" he asked, sparing a look at the fixer. Mr. McCormick didn't much care if the man did or didn't. The Senator needed a drink. He'd rather not drink alone, but he would if he had to.

"Not while I'm working. Thank you." Fitz said with a wave of his hand. "But go ahead."

He poured two fingers of the amber liquid into a crystal tumbler and immediately tilted the glass back. The liquor burned as it slid easily down his throat, but he let it burn. At least he was feeling something. He poured another glass. "About three months ago I was asked to sign a piece of legislation headed up by the President."

Fitz sat a little straighter in his chair at the mention of Olivia but remained quiet.

"It was something in favor of better children's healthcare. I wanted to be a team player, so I agreed. I was then asked to go to a hospital here in DC and visit sick kids. I wasn't interested in that aspect of it, but that's probably why I wasn't informed about it until after I had already agreed to sign.

Anyways, the media was made aware of the visit and a great show was made of the whole damned thing. It was practically a circus."

"I remember seeing that covered by the local news. It got the attention of the national news too, if I'm not mistaken?" Fitz recalled.

"That's right. I had to make a total of three visits to that hospital and everything was on the up and up, I swear." He wanted that to be crystal clear as he dealt with this situation moving forward.

"I believe you." Fitz stated. "So, what happened?"

"Julie happened." The Senator sighed.

"Who is Julie?"

"Julie Cartright. She's a pediatric nurse on the third floor."

Fitz committed her name to memory without writing it down.

"The first time I met her it was all very innocent. She gave me a tour of the hospital, shared information on how they handled patient care, and even introduced me to several of the kids. The journalists couldn't get enough of me and the kids. I know it wasn't my finest hour, but I stood there and talked to them, pretending to care as cameras took our pictures or recorded video of it all.

But by the end of my third visit, I don't know, something clicked. She was great with the kids she takes care of. Always going above and beyond what is expected of her. You know what I mean?"

Fitz's thoughts quickly went to Olivia and he nodded. "I believe I do."

"She was always on my mind. Her face would pop up at the damndest times. In the middle of meetings, during dinner. Like that." The older man sighed heavily. "After my visits were over, I breathed a little easier believing I had avoided disaster. Two weeks ago she called my office to schedule a meeting with me. She said it was about the hospital."

"And you believed her?" Fitz asked in a voice full of sincerity.

"I did. Partly because I hoped being around her one final time, especially here in my office, would erase her from my mind once and for all. Something had to make it stop." he explained.

"And the other part?" Fitz asked.

"Pardon me?" The Senator asked.

Fitz turned in his chair to look at the Senator. "You said part of the reason was that you hoped seeing her one last time would remove her from your thoughts. What was the other part?" Whatever it was, Fitz felt like it was the real reason why he agreed to the meeting.

Mr. McCormick set his short crystal glass down and went back to his desk. This fixer was good. He knew his shit and got right down to the point. If the man could fix the mess he had found himself in, the Senator would be grateful. He wondered if he could get away with a lie for an answer?

"If you want my help, you need to tell me the truth. About all of it. I can't help you if I don't know everything." Fitz could see the man struggling with explaining himself at this point. Most new clients gravitate towards telling a lie at this point in the conversation. The hard truth. "You called me for help. I am the best fixer in town and now we both know it. Don't lie to me. You will only be hurting yourself if you do."

He was worth every penny too. "The other part of the reason is that...I just wanted to see her." The Senator filled Fitz in on every detail of the short lived relationship that he had experienced with the pediatric nurse. The things he had bought her, the emails from his personal account, the text messages, the meeting places. Everything. He hated having to re-live it but felt a lot lighter for sharing it with someone.

"Why are you reaching out to me now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is the nurse threatening to go public about the affair? Does your wife know about it and plans to talk to the press? What do you need me to fix exactly?"

"Oddly enough, it's not either woman causing problems. They both know about each other, by the way. It's not a big deal. Unless I get caught. If that happens, then my wife will leave me and take everything in a very public and messy divorce. I'm trying to avoid all of that by ending this..." He gestured wildly with his hands. "...thing with Julie. It's run its course. I'm trying to start over with my wife. Our anniversary is coming up and I want to make it special for her. A fresh start if you will? I'd like for you to get Ms. Cartright re-located to a hospital in another state."

"I understand and I will take care of it personally." Fitz assured him as he got to his own feet.

"Just like that? It's not going to be a problem?" The Senator couldn't believe it was that easy.

Fitz reached his right arm across the large wooden desk. "I get paid to make the problems go away. She will be gone by tomorrow morning, and before you ask, I will get her to sign an iron clad non-disclosure about all of this too. I'll have a signed copy messengered to you by lunch time tomorrow."

Senator McCormick shook his hand and simply said, "good. When I remember whoever it was that suggested your name to me, they are getting one hell of a raise. I appreciate your time. The money has already been wired into your account. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." Fitz replied, and left the Senator's office.

As he walked towards the elevators, he thought about what the older man had said. Both women know about each other. The idea that the spouse and the mistress knew about the other's existence and importance in the man's life made his thoughts veer towards Olivia and Will.

Fitz knew he was the third wheel in that relationship, but he also knew that his part was a necessary one. Even if only for profession reasons. He wondered about what life would be like if Will knew how very hand's on Fitz was with his wife at times though? Would he be mad? Relieved? Unfazed? He wished he could relocate Will to another state with the ease in which he was about to relocate Julie Cartright. He'd just come back, Fitz knew. William was already loving his role in his wife's presidency and he would not be deterred from it.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open soundlessly. Fitz was about to step inside when a very large determined hand pushed him back a step. Lifting his head quickly, Fitz saw that the hand belonged to Tom, one of Olivia's Secret Service agents, and that Olivia herself was at the back of the elevator. She was focused on the screen of her phone as her thumbs moved busily across the face of it.

"Why are we stop..?" the question died on her tongue as she caught his eye. Time froze for a moment as she looked her fill at the handsome fixer on the other side of the metal doors. He had on a suit. A perfectly tailored gray suit. One of her favorites that ran a little on the tight side. He must be here for work, she silently decided. Olivia had just been typing a text asking him to meet her in the Oval at the end of the day. She needed to see him. Nothing official, and this visit would definitely not be on her schedule. Still, she needed to see him, and she knew he would come. The play on words in her own mind brought a playful smile to her face. She dropped her phone into her bag, holding onto the handle with limp fingers.

Fitz's phone dinged, but he ignored it and continued to stare into his favorite big brown eyes. She looked beautiful in a royal blue long sleeved dress. It was simple, but she made it look elegant, just like she did everything else she wore. He longed to touch her. Just brush his fingertips against hers. A simple gesture that held so much more meaning than anyone else could ever fathom.

"I'm sorry, Sir. You'll have to wait for the next one. This car was not supposed to stop on this floor." Tom told him.

Fitz stayed put, still looking at Olivia and said, "no problem, Tom. I've got time to wait."

"Thank you, Mr. Grant." Tom replied and touched a button on the wall inside.

Fitz's phone dinged again, and he made a mental note to check it once Olivia was out of sight. But for now, he wasn't passing up on a chance to just look at her without worrying about anyone seeing him do it.

"You should check that." Olivia said, and looked at his thigh where Fitz's phone rested in his pocket. "It could be important."

Olivia's smile let him know whatever was on his phone was from her. He kept eye contact and pulled the device from his pocket as she and her agents waited for the doors to close. He read the text:  
_I need to discuss the garden program with you tonight. I want eggplant. Meet me in the Oval at 7. Use the side entrance._

Eggplant was Olivia's code for wanting sex with him. He texted her back a thumbs up emoji, locked his phone with the press of a button, and dropped it back into his pocket. Lifting his head, he sent her a mischievous grin just as the doors closed between them. This day just got a whole lot better!

Fitz made it back to the office and a quick turn of his head to the right showed him Huck was out of his office at the moment. He kept his brisk pace towards his own office and discovered a large envelope sitting in the center of his desk. He knew without having to open it that this was the information he had requested on Margaret Timmons.

He took off his suit jacket and retrieved his phone from his pants pocket before sinking into his chair. Once his striped tie was loosened at his neck, Fitz leaned back in his chair and opened the envelope. He was still leaning back in his chair with his feet up on his desk, reading the information he had requested from Huck when the IT genius called out from his doorway. "Yo!"

Fitz glanced up at the only person other than Liv whom he fully trusted. "Did you enjoy a long lunch of not eating but people watching instead?"

"Shut up. I get the girls while you constantly work yourself to death. That isn't on me. That's a sad life choice, my friend. You're gonna end up all alone." Huck warned him.

His thoughts went to Olivia and her text message as a smile spread across his face. "There are certain perks to working twenty-four seven. Don't worry about me. I'll be just fine."

"Whatever. You are a sad sack some days. I'm glad that you at least have work to keep you warm at night. Me? I'll be tucked up tight with a warm, curvy, female body getting warmer by the minute." Huck grinned at Fitz. He knew who Fitz spent time with. Who he was in love with. Even if he never spoke about her. Huck wasn't regarded as a technical genius for nothing. He would never bring the situation up or even so much as mention her name to him. Huck respected Fitz too much for that. He just enjoyed giving Fitz shit from time to time. It was what guys do, and sometimes, he knew that Fitz needed to blow off some steam. Especially on days when he wasn't able to spend time with his girl. Apparently, today wasn't one of those days, based on the superior smile on Fitz's face. He was happy for him. Maybe he'd get laid and stop being such a grumpy bastard?

"Which night?" Fitz asked, still grinning.

"Any night." Huck replied with a smirk.

Fitz didn't want to continue this conversation, so he changed the topic. Gesturing towards the envelope, he said, "this is great work. It's exactly what I needed. Thank you."

"I only do great work." Huck said and turned to walk away.

"Smartass" Fitz muttered and went back to his reading material.

The afternoon meeting showed up and Fitz invited Huck to sit in on this one with him. She was the wife of a basketball player on a team here in DC. Her husband had been beating her for years, but now that she was pregnant, she feared for the life of her unborn child and wanted help to get out and away from him. They agreed to take her case and help her get out of the abusive situation. Fitz put her up in a hotel under a fake name while Huck scoped out her house and waited for him to leave before going in and getting the few items that she had asked for. He took them to her along with a fake ID and a plane ticket to a small town in Idaho. She knew no one there but wanted to put as much space between them as possible in order to make a fresh start. She had been saving money for the better part of a year to leave with. Fitz offered to get her the money she was entitled to in a divorce, but she wasn't interested. Said he could keep it all. She wanted nothing more to do with him.

The office was quiet when Fitz locked it up, knowing that Huck wouldn't be coming back tonight. He rolled his eyes in the darkened conference room as he recalled his earlier words. Well, he wouldn't be the only one spending time with a curvy warm female tonight. At least for a little while. The Oval Office awaited.

Fitz was cleared through security and entered the Oval Office through the side entrance, exactly as the President had requested. He had a huge smile on his face as he gingerly stepped inside the oddly shaped room. His sharp blue eyes scanned the room but found no faces. The lights were on but no one was home, it appeared. He did notice after a moment that the chair behind her desk was facing away from the door and instead, towards the window. Someone was wanting to be discovered.

"How many eggplants would you like to plant in your garden tonight, Madam President?" he asked in a low voice. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her. Fitz had missed spending quality time with Olivia and was happy that she obviously felt the same way. These kind of meetings weren't what he wanted, but it was better than nothing.

The chair started to spin around slowly, and Fitz reached inside his pants pocket to grab the condoms he had brought with him. Usually Olivia liked to go at least twice, knowing their visits were few and far between. He had brought three condoms, just in case. He was about to pull the foil packages from his pocket to show her he had big plans for their evening together, when the door behind him suddenly opened. He dropped the condoms, letting them fall back down into his pocket and spun around quickly to see who it was.

Olivia?

His eyebrows dropped in confusion as he stared at her with his mouth slightly open. How did she get to the door so fast? Where the hell had she just come from? Fitz turned to look at the still slow turning chair behind the resolute desk and then back at Olivia. Someone was sitting at her desk.

Knowing there weren't any Secret Service agents inside the Oval, Fitz went into protective mode at warp speed. He shifted his body so that Olivia was behind him before turning to face her desk once again. Thoughts of someone trying to attack her seeped into his brain, even though the rational side of his brain knew an uninvited person could never make it into the Oval Office. The moment her chair was sideways, Fitz knew exactly who was sitting behind the President's desk. Olivia's husband, William.

Will ignored them for a moment, picked up a pen, and began doodling on a random piece of paper that was sitting on top of his wife's desk. He smiled up lazily at Fitz and said, "Oh, I imagine she'd like to have a dozen or so planted. Wouldn't you, Ollie?"

Fitz knew Olivia hated that nickname, and with good reason. He also knew that Will used it in an attempt to put Olivia in her place. But that was the least of his worries at the moment. His heart was hammering inside his chest as he thought about Will's words. Had the two of them just been discovered by the last person Fitz would ever want to find out? In spite of the fear that rolled in his gut, Fitz kept calm, his face showing no sign of alarm. "If the President wants eggplant in the garden, she should definitely plant more than a dozen, don't you think?"

"I would think that depends on her taste for them?" Will replied calmly and set the pen down. Sitting back in the President's chair, his eyes lazily flicked up to study the two people standing in front of him. "It's spoken of so often between the two of you that I assumed this garden had already been planted?"

Olivia walked around Fitz and went to her husband. Sliding on a smile as easy as a shoe on her foot, she said, "it's still too early to plant a garden. I was meeting with Mr. Grant to get a plan drawn up of what to plant, how much to plant, and when to plant it. If it's done right, a garden would connect us to the public to some degree. Showing the American people that although we may eat meals prepared by a chef we also use the same fresh ingredients that some of them grow in their own gardens. Maybe we could share some of the recipes that are used to cook our meals on social media? Or recipes of foods that our own parents cooked for us using vegetables from their gardens? Or post pictures of the various growing stages of the garden items. Farmers might like the public nod from the White House to their profession too. I'll bet today's children don't fully understand where their fresh fruits and vegetables come from. It would be educational. What do you think?"

"That's a great idea, Madam President." Fitz felt stupid for saying it, but he needed to contribute something to the conversation rather than stand there like an outsider. "I could set it up for you if you like?"

Will stared holes into Fitz. "Well, aren't you just a Jack of all trades?"

Fitz refused to squirm for Will, no matter how uncomfortable he tried to make him feel. "I wouldn't be very good at my job if I wasn't, Mr. Swann."

"Maybe. I'll think about it. Thank you." Olivia told Fitz politely. "Most summer vegetables have to be planted indoors about two months before the last spring frost. We still have a little time to hammer out the details. Will, what are your thoughts on a garden and sharing it with the public on social media?"

Will stood up and leaned forward on Olivia's desk as if it were his own and looked down at her with contempt. Fitz felt his muscles tense, preparing to pounce if Will did anything untoward to Liv. He knew he could never lay a hand on him, but Fitz secretly wished for a reason to kick Will's ass. He hand to hand it to Olivia. She didn't back down from her husband an inch. Fitz wondered what Will would say about her idea to include him on every step of the garden program she already had in the works? The social media accounts had already been set up and recipes retrieved from their parents for sharing with the public.

Looking for a long moment from his wife to the fixer and then back to his wife again, Will said, "gardening is not really my thing. Besides, I'm far too busy with all of my duties as First Gentleman. I don't think I could possibly add anything else to my schedule. Especially one so...time consuming."

He came around the desk and kissed his wife, patting her ass for good measure before heading towards Fitz, who was trying to look anywhere except at the uncomfortable display of affection in front of him. Will extended a hand and said, "take good care of my wife. She's gonna want that garden to be planted after the first thaw. She's an anxious little woman. But you probably already know that, don't you Fitz? Goodnight you two."


	3. Strange Conversations

**Strange Conversations**

His bedroom was enveloped in darkness. Even the moon refused to give off any light tonight. Fitz was wide awake, lying flat on his back in the middle of his king-sized bed, willing sleep to come. He had fallen asleep in the living room earlier while watching the news but had been jarred awake not long afterwards by the sound of a band playing on a late night talk show. Groggily he had turned off the television, stripped off every stitch of clothing, and stumbled into his bedroom where he crawled under the covers and slipped off to sleep. He woke up less than two hours later.

Four in the morning rolled around in the same mind-numbing uneventful way that three a.m. had. And two a.m. before that. Fitz had greeted the top of each hour with an annoyed scowl at his bedside clock before turning his attention back towards the ceiling. Unfortunately, being awake at this hour wasn't a surprise. His thumb and index finger rubbed over his eyelids before coming together to pinch the bridge of his nose. He yawned loudly as a question floated through his brain from out of nowhere. Is Olivia asleep right now?

Before the thought could take root in his head, Fitz decided he didn't want to know. There wasn't any point in lying there for another hour. Five a.m. was when his alarm would alert him to get up anyway. He turned off the alarm and decided to get up and start his day now. With a frustrated groan he swung his bare feet off the side of the bed and set them on the cool floor. He leaned over, trying to give himself another moment, and rested his head in his large hands. He was beyond exhausted.

He yawned while raking his hands through his unruly curls, wishing once more that he could have gotten a few more hours of rest. Finally standing, he shuffled towards the kitchen like a naked post-apocalyptic zombie. If he was going to start his day at this hour, he needed caffeine as soon as humanly possible. He pressed the power button and shuffled towards the bathroom to relieve his bladder.

Once that was done, he turned the shower on a bone melting hot temperature and grabbed a towel from the closet. The steam rolled out from behind the shower door, greeting him as it rushed over his naked body. He stepped inside and under the shower head. The feel of the hot water pelting his still sleep deprived skin felt heavenly. He groaned again, but this time it was a satisfied sound. Tilting his face upward he let the water continue to wake him up.

Twenty minutes later Fitz felt a lot better. He stepped out of the shower and dried off with a towel before wrapping it snugly around his waist. Raising his left hand, he swiped his palm across the large fog covered mirror above the sink and squinted at his reflection.

He looked like shit.

Great.

He went back into his bedroom and pulled on a blue t-shirt and a pair of underwear followed by some sweats. He just needed a huge cup of coffee to complete the transformation to human. The second the hot black liquid touched his tongue Fitz let out a contented sigh. By the time he emptied his mug, most of the remnants of his insomnia had been cleared from his mind.

Sitting at his table, his thoughts veered back to Liv. Before he could shut them down Fitz was again wondering if she was awake yet? If she and Will had spoken about the uncomfortable meeting the three of them shared in the Oval Office the other night? Fitz was sure that Will had had plenty to say to his wife. Just like he was pretty sure Will knew they hadn't been there to discuss a garden.

He felt like a fool and regret filled his mind. He never should have gone to the White House that late. He should have told Olivia no when she text and asked him to come. He was going to have to be stronger when it came to her. All the same wouldda couldda shoulddas that he had been through a thousand times before when it came to Liv hit him like a ton of bricks.

She wasn't his and probably never would be. She was the president of the United States and she needed to be treated with respect, especially by Fitz. The last thing he wanted was for her name to be attached to a scandal like so many of the male presidents before her had been. He wanted her to do a great job and be remembered for it. The great job she promised she would do once elected. To represent the American people well as the first female leader of the free world. It was already difficult enough for her. He didn't need to make it any more difficult.

And then there was the matter of her marriage. Happy or not, it wasn't his to meddle in. While he could name a dozen reasons why Will and Olivia's relationship didn't stand a chance once she was out of office, Fitz had to make peace with the fact that she was in office right now. Olivia was newly elected and would be at Sixteen Hundred Pennsylvania Avenue for at least the next four years. Eight if he had anything to do with it.

Eight years of watching her and Will smile and make nice for the cameras. Of hearing them talk about trying to start a family, which is something he would recommend to any other president in her situation. Babies bring tons of approval numbers and political capital. And while Will and Olivia doted on their child, he would be an outsider looking in. Wishing it was his child with Olivia.

He needed to let her go.

That was easier said than done. The physical pain that cut like a knife at the thought of severing personal ties with Olivia was acute and real. The thought of not talking to her about personal matters, or touching her other than formal handshakes, or spending time with her as anything other than a fixer was too much to deal with at this early morning hour. He poured himself another cup of coffee instead.

Going into his bedroom closet and opening the door, Fitz looked through his suits. He grabbed the hanger holding a black one and brought it into his bedroom along with his coffee. He turned on the early morning news as he continued to sip from his cup. Since it was going to be a long day Fitz decided he would make it a productive one.

It was barely six in the morning and freezing outside when he left his apartment. The February winds were blowing in full effect, making Fitz pull his coat higher up on his neck. By the time he arrived at the office, his cup was empty, and he started making more coffee in the pot there. The two hours of sleep he got last night would catch up to him quickly unless he stayed on top of it.

It wasn't just last night. Fitz hadn't been sleeping more than a few hours for the past several nights. He had too much on his mind and too much work to keep him idle for long. He found himself with a spare half hour before his schedule became busy with back to back meetings this morning. It turned out that the extra half hour wasn't doing him any favors.

Fitz was sitting in his office, trying to read a file sitting on top of his desk. He had a meeting to get to in an hour, but he had specifically put on his agenda to finish this file first. He wasn't doing so great at it. His mind kept going back to the other night in the Oval Office with Olivia and Will. It was the reason for his exhaustion and irritability. It was the reason he was driving himself so hard at work. It was the reason he was there from sun up to sun down. And it was also the reason for his lack of sleep. He wasn't going to last much longer under these conditions.

His thoughts ran the gamut from what in the hell was that, to Will knows Liv and I are having an affair. The more he thought about it the more they tended to linger on the latter. Maybe he felt that way because Fitz had been thinking along those lines before he had even arrived at the White House that night? Maybe it was the smug all knowing look Will had given both of them before he left the Oval Office? Maybe it was just his imagination working over time? Whatever the reason, it had to stop.

Shaking all of it off, Fitz's eyes went back to the file in front of him. He had no recollection of ever reading the first line before. Sighing heavily, he gave up. He got to his feet and slid the file sideways into a larger manila one inside his filing cabinet. After closing the square metal door, Fitz locked it and put the key into his pocket. He made his way towards the elevator but stopped at his co-worker's office first.

"Huck?"

"Yea?"

"I'm heading out to my meeting."

Huck glanced at his plain watch and scowled up at Fitz. "Already? Why are you leaving so soon? Your meeting isn't for another hour."

"What are you, my time keeper?" Fitz grumbled.

"You've gotta get more sleep or get laid, dude. Whatever it is that's making you bitchy needs to be dealt with. It's not healthy." Huck was no longer looking at Fitz but was concentrating on his computer. "And before you ask, no I'm not your therapist either. There's not enough money in the world for me to listen to your shit."

Fitz wanted to be mad. He really did. He just didn't have the energy for it. Instead, he started laughing. And then he couldn't stop.

That made Huck scowl even more. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You really wanna know?" Fitz asked.

Huck debated that. Truth be told he didn't want to know. But Fitz was a great guy and seemed to be going through some stuff. He probably needed a friend to talk to. Huck hated having to be that friend, but for Fitz he would do anything. "Tell me what's going on. Maybe I can help?"

Fitz grabbed a nearby chair, turned it around, and straddled it. He didn't really know where to begin and it showed. "We've never really discussed our personal lives..."

"And that's fine with me." Huck said quickly.

"Yup. Me too." Fitz agreed just as fast. "But since we work together, we notice when the other one has a bad day or whatever."

"Be hard not to." Huck agreed.

"Right. I've been having a hard time sleeping lately. That's part of the reason I'm so damn cranky. I can't focus on anything, yawning all the time, and it's starting to affect my work."

"It started lassssssssst Tuesday, right?" Huck asked. He had a real good idea of what had crawled up Fitz's ass. And it wasn't a lack of sleep. Well, it wasn't entirely that.

Fitz's eyes narrowed as he squinted at the man sitting across from him. Maybe talking to Huck wasn't a great idea. He seemed to know everything already. That was something that made Fitz feel very nervous. In spite of his fears, Fitz wanted answers. "How in the hell could you possibly know that?"

Huck shrugged carelessly. "I used to work for the CIA. I was paid to notice things. Big or little. I noticed a change on Tuesday morning when you got here late."

"What? No, you didn't." Fitz insisted. "That was the first morning after I started sleeping bad. How could you have possibly noticed anything then? I wasn't even irritated yet."

Huck chuckled. "I don't think you realize how irritated you get sometimes. Even over something simple, like a red light. You were kinda spaced out that day. You kept blinking your eyes or rubbing them. You yawned a lot too."

"Wow. You really are observant. And have a great memory too. I'll have to remember that."

"And...you know...you deal with some high profile people. Actors, athletes, politicians..." Huck quietly let that hang for a minute before adding, "That would be enough to keep me awake at night. Knowing their secrets, the things they hide, or want hidden. We get paid to deal with their worst day. That's a lot of pressure. It's bound to rub off on you from time to time."

Fitz let his friend's words marinate in his brain for a few quiet minutes. He made a lot of sense, and if he listened to the words Fitz would think that Huck was simply giving him an explanation for his sleep deprivation. An answer for the whole thing.

But Fitz knew Huck better than that. Huck was a man of few words, so when he spoke there was meaning behind what he said. Fitz had a feeling his friend's knowledge concerning his lack of sleep and the reasons behind it ran a lot deeper than because he worked a hard job. Fitz just wasn't sure he wanted to know exactly how much Huck knew about his personal life. He had no intentions of asking either.

He decided to down play it. "Yea, maybe. Maybe I just need to find a girlfriend. Being single for so many years certainly doesn't help the situation."

"Women bring their own heavy issues to a relationship." Huck pointed out.

"That's the truth!" Fitz declared. But as his mind drifted to Olivia once again, he couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips. So, she had issues. Who didn't? He'd rather love her through them than not love her at all.

Huck watched his friend's face transform from weariness to contentment in seconds. He wondered if Fitz knew how much in love he was with Olivia? It was a doomed relationship that would probably never see the light of day. But Huck would bet on Fitz every time over anyone else. He was secretly rooting for Fitz and Liv to figure everything out so they could be together. It might not happen until her presidency was over, but he felt sure that it would happen. When Fitz continued staring into space with that weird smile on his face, Huck couldn't deal with it anymore. He turned back to his computer and got busy with work.

Fitz was brought back to reality at hearing Huck tapping on keyboard keys. He dropped the goofy smile, took the hint, and left the building.

The first appointment on his schedule was at the home of an old friend of his. It was a good way to start the day. At least Fitz hoped it would be. Obviously, there was a problem that needed his attention but instead of it being a complete stranger, it was someone he knew. He wondered if that should make him feel uncomfortable in any way? It didn't.

He arrived at the home of Robert and Claire Easterwood twenty five minutes later. Their huge four bedroom three and a half bathroom beautiful brick home always made Fitz want to ditch his apartment and buy a house. But then he would have to hire a maid or clean it himself and that made his apartment seem a lot more enticing.

The front door opened, and his friend Robert greeted him warmly and invited him inside. The two of them made small talk and headed towards the spacious living room. Claire stood up from her spot on the floral sofa and hugged Fitz. "It was good of you to come."

"The two of you are my oldest friends. Of course I would come." Fitz said, taking a seat without an invitation.

"Would you like any coffee?" Claire asked politely.

"No, thank you. I've already had more coffee than any human being should consume in a day. Why don't you tell me why you asked me to come over" he suggested?

Robert and Claire exchanged a look before turning their attention to Fitz. "It's Henry. He got expelled from prep school on Friday."

"Another expulsion? I'm sorry to hear that. I thought for sure after the last one two years ago that he learned his lesson and would straighten up?"

"When you have a sixteen year old who spends all of his free time in his bedroom on a computer, he's either playing video games or up to no good. I wish it was something as easily managed as video games."

"At this point, I would be thrilled if it had been video games."

"So, what exactly did he do?" Fitz asked.

"He hacked into the school's computer system and changed his grades to passing, while changing the grades of a few kids he doesn't like to failing. If he had been even slightly more creative with the data changes, he never would have gotten caught."

Claire let Fitz know in no uncertain terms how she felt about the whole thing. "Personally, I'm glad he got caught. If he hadn't, he would have gotten bolder and done something much worse. Or he would have attempted hacking into something much more difficult and gone to prison for it. Putting a stop to it now means his chances at trying to do it again are much less."

"What do you need from me? Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"We want you to scare the shit out of him." Robert replied.

Confusion bloomed across Fitz's face. "What exactly does that look like in your opinion?"

"We want you to make it seem that homeland security is somehow involved in this. We want Henry to associate bone deep fear if he ever thinks of doing something like this again. Do you know what we mean?" Robert asked.

"And this has your stamp of approval on it as well, Claire? I don't think I could do it if you weren't on board too." Fitz asked.

"I am very much on board. I don't want my son to end up being on America's Most Wanted for pirate crimes."

"That show isn't on anymore, dear." Robert chuckled.

"You know what I mean! This needs to be stopped now before things get worse. Do you think you can do something creative to scare him?" she asked.

Fitz thought about it for a minute. He gave them a mischievous grin as the wheels began to turn in his head. "A plan is beginning to form here. I'm going to look into the other boys who's grades got tampered with too."

"You are going to have to use someone scary for this particular job." Robert informed him.

"I got a guy." Fitz said nodding. "He can be super scary when he wants to be, and he's a computer genius to boot. Henry won't know what hit him. If he even looks at a computer once my guy is done with him, I'll be shocked."

"Good. Whatever you need for this job you'll have it. Money is no object either."

"I'll keep that in mind." Fitz said. "Let me talk to him and see how soon he can put something together. I'm sure that within the next week he will have a plan for poor unsuspecting Henry."

"Perfect." The three of them rose from their seats feeling a lot better about the situation. Fitz hugged Claire and shook Robert's hand. "You don't have to tell us anything other than when you are going to move forward with the plan. We don't need to know specifics."

"Really?" Fitz asked doubtfully. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"If we don't know what the plan is, then we won't be lying to him when he asks us about our involvement in it."

"Ahhh, plausible deniability." And just like that Olivia was back on his mind. It had been such a peaceful hour without any thought of her plaguing his head. Fitz sighed heavily. Oh well.

"Exactly." Robert agreed, breaking Fitz from his thoughts. "Thank you for being so flexible and understanding. We appreciate this more than you know."

"I'll be in touch soon. Try to keep him out of trouble until then." Fitz warned them.

He walked out of the house and rode a cab back to his next appointment. As he sat in the backseat and watched the winter scenery fly by Fitz checked his schedule to see what he would be dealing with next. Work kept him from thinking about things he shouldn't be thinking about. People he shouldn't be thinking about.

Glancing at his watch he saw that he had a solid forty minutes before his next meeting. Unfortunately, his next meeting had everything to do with the White House even if Liv wouldn't be attending it. She was hosting a dinner in her new home on Pennsylvania Avenue and Fitz had gotten an invitation. His appointment was with his tailor to make sure his tuxedo still fit. At least this meeting had no stress attached to it.

Less than an hour later, Fitz had a tape measure stretched around various parts of his body and the measurements written down. Meanwhile, he answered work related emails from his phone and spoke whenever a question was asked. In thirty minutes, he was done and in yet another cab heading back to the office.

Something was different. He sensed it as he got off the elevator and walked through the door of his office. Glancing to the left and then the right, Fitz didn't see anything out of the ordinary but the feeling stuck with him. He kept his guard up as he slowly made his way to Huck's door.

Nothing was out of the ordinary in Huck's office either. He was in the same spot where Fitz had left him earlier, still furiously tapping away on his keyboard. He wished he was more inclined to find out what his co-worker was up to, but Fitz trusted Huck implicitly. Also, Huck would use technical terms, just to piss him off, and his lack of understanding would ruin it for both of them.

Leaning on Huck's door Fitz asked, "you got a minute?"

Huck never looked up, never missed a beat in his typing, and said, "I do. But you don't."

"I don't?" Fitz asked. When Huck shook his head back and forth, he squinted and said, "why not?"

"You've got a visitor in your office."

Fitz whipped his head towards his office. He knew something was up. "Who is it?"

"Go find out for yourself. You're probably not gonna like it though." Huck warned as he looked up at Fitz.

"Damn it." Fitz whispered. "Who is it, Huck?"

Huck went back to his computer and simply said, "beat it. I'm busy."

Mentally shooting the finger at Huck, Fitz rolled his eyes and headed towards his office. He could see the back of a familiar head sitting in one of the visitor chairs. All of a sudden, the exhaustion felt like a heavy wet blanket smothering him. He closed his bleary eyes and took a deep breath. Releasing it, and grasping for the doorknob, Fitz hoped this meeting would be a quick one. "Cyrus!" he boomed. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Cyrus regarded the man coming around the desk in front of his chair. He got to his feet and shook hands with the tired looking fixer. He briefly wondered why Fitz seemed as exhausted as the president had been lately? He'd have to do some checking into it on his own. Instead of voicing his concerns, Cyrus smiled and said, "would you believe I was in the neighborhood?"

"No." Fitz replied. He picked up his mail and sat on the edge of his desk. Cyrus was never just in the neighborhood. He wanted something. "What can I do for you, Cy?"

"You never were one for small talk. Let me get right to the point then. William Swann sent me here to discuss with you a delicate but urgent matter. He's demanding your full cooperation with it and so am I."

_You all have blown me away with support for this story! Thank you so much for being interested to see how things would possibly have been if the roles were reversed. Several of you have asked for flashbacks to see how Fitz & Liv met & hooked up, and it is coming! But I had the first several chapters already written for this story before I even posted chapter one, so please be patient. I am working on it. Until next time..._


	4. Distractions

**Distractions**

Olivia was in the bedroom she shared with Will. It was only nine thirty, the earliest the two of them had finished their day since Olivia had become president. It felt strange to be in the residence this early, but Olivia wasn't about to question it. She needed a good night's sleep. She had taken off her make-up, put on her nightgown, and was vigilantly rubbing lotion on her arms and legs. Will had just finished showering and was putting on his pajamas as his wife watched from her spot on the edge of their bed. Will was still in great shape and she could feel desire for him beginning to build as she openly looked at her husband of eight years.

She crawled over to his side of the bed where he was pulling a t shirt over his head. "Will? Let's have a baby."

"Olivia." Will said her name the same impatient way he would a petulant child. He hastily reached around her tiny body to remove the innumerable decorative throw pillows from their bed. An annoyed look was shot in her direction as he waited for her to move so he could pull back the thick comforter. The silent stand off ended without incident when Olivia crept back onto her side of the bed. Will got in, turned off the bedside lamp, laid on his side, away from her, and closed his eyes. He hoped she would take the hint.

Sitting on her still made up side of the bed and staring holes into the back of his head, Olivia said, "can't we at least talk about it? Please?"

"Olivia, we've talked this thing to death. It's just not the right time for us to start a family." Will said, never moving from his place in their bed.

"Tell me why. Why can't we try to have a baby right now?" She got up and began to pace at the foot of their bed.

Will angrily rolled over and looked at her. "Do we really have to do this right now? This is the first night either one of us has been in our bed before one in the morning. Can't we just sleep right now?"

"No." She snapped back. Olivia was no longer in the mood to sleep. She wanted answers. "It's been eight years, Will and I'm not getting any younger. I want to have a baby." Olivia was in her forties. Her child bearing years were passing her by, and she was not going to let that happen without having a child. Her gynecologist had been telling Olivia for several years that she was already at the age that if she did become pregnant it would be termed a geriatric one. Because of her age, she was at greater risk for complications. It wasn't good news, and with every passing year she felt that time was running out on her chances to have a healthy pregnancy.

With a loud huff, Will jerked back the blanket and sat up against the headboard, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "You just got elected as president less than three months ago. You haven't gotten through the vital first hundred days in office and you're talking about wanting to get pregnant!"

"But I..." she began.

"People are watching you! Not because you are the president, which is a reason they most definitely will be watching you. But you are the first female president. You can't afford to get pregnant at this point in time. You've got to stay focused on running the country. And if you are doing your job correctly, neither one of us will have the time it takes to raise a decent human being. The spotlight is no place for a child anyways. He or she will be seen as a weakness of yours and that means a target to our enemies."

Olivia gave him a hard look before resuming her pacing.

The truth was that Will had come from a broken home. His parents had remained married and lived together, displaying a strong and happy united front to their family and friends, but they weren't happy. Will and his brother Edward had learned that their parents had stayed together for their sake when they had graduated high school. The brothers had both found it unnecessary and each voiced those feelings when the matter was discussed with them. Their parents had still been married when they died in an airplane crash fifteen years ago. They had left everything to their two sons.

"Come on, Will. We've discussed this before. It's not like I'm surprising you with it. I want the two of us to have a child together." Olivia had pleaded. "We are going to be living here for the next four years. Maybe eight. The timing isn't going to get any better. If I get re-elected, I'll be knocking on the door of fifty by the time my term is up. We've got to think about that."

Children had been discussed by the two of them before they got married. And while Will had voiced his concerns and worries about having them, he had finally caved in and told Olivia that he would have just one with her. She had been over the moon to hear him agree to a single baby. One child was better than no kids, and Olivia had quietly conceded the dream of a house full of children she'd always wanted since she had been a girl.

It seemed that Will had changed his mind though. Either that or he had just told her that in order to get Olivia to marry him. She figured it was probably the latter. At this point nothing would surprise her about Will. That was part of the problem. He was so predictable.

"My feelings on the matter aren't new either. You know my thoughts about it." He thought the days of him and Olivia discussing this were long over. She was in her forties for god's sake. "Don't you think you should be focusing on running this great country instead of chasing after a kid?"

"I don't think that I should have to choose between the two. There are times that I will have to focus more on one or the other, but that isn't a reason to take the subject completely off the table. Don't you still want to have a baby? You said you did when we talked about it before we got married." All she wanted to hear from him was that he did remember. That on the evening of her one hundredth day as president the two of them would run up to their bedroom and start trying to have a family.

"Let's talk about it another night. I'm tired right now. We've both got big days tomorrow." He pulled back the blankets on her side of the bed. "Come to bed, Olivia."

She gave him a sad smile and padded towards the window in their bedroom. "I'll be there in a minute."

Will bid her goodnight before slouching down into the warm bed and rolling over. He didn't know how to tell her that he in fact wasn't interested in having kids. Not at all. He might have felt inclined to have a baby all those years ago, but feelings change. And his definitely had. This was not the time to tell her no. It was the time to remind her of the important things in life. Things they had going on now. Not the what ifs.

He imagined Olivia passing the snot nosed brat onto him all the time. Meetings, summits, parties, campaigning, all of it. Her life would continue on. It would have to because as the president Olivia was more or less the symbol of America. But his life would be limited to feedings, diaper changes, and all the other shit that came along with a newborn. And nobody would care that he wouldn't be able to give interviews or be photographed whenever they liked because he would be saddled with a baby.

No, siree. William Swann was not about to give up his life to take care of a baby. He hadn't been that supportive when Olivia decided to run for president, but once the two of them had started campaigning all across the nation, things had gotten a lot more interesting for him. William Swann had discovered the benefits of campaigning on behalf of his wife for the position of the most powerful woman on earth.

The number of women who flirted with him was mind boggling. Every town Olivia and her team stopped at to make an appearance always seemed to have a woman or three who wanted to sleep with the potential president's husband. And those stops they sent him to, to toot his wife's horn on television or for the local newspaper. Will considered it his contribution to the campaign and willingly obliged the females. He had found his own fixer to clean up the mess after they left town. The person Will had used had been fantastic and there hadn't been so much as a whisper of infidelity on Will's part. When his wife won the election, the women became even more infatuated with him. His fixer had warned him that it would be much more difficult to clean up a mess made by the First Gentleman than Will Swann, the husband of a potential candidate on the campaign trail. He kept the fixer on retainer and under the radar.

He had obliged a very select number of women since his wife had become the president. He couldn't afford to get caught, but at the same time he didn't want to give up the adventurous and secret lifestyle either. Will had been sure that he had interrupted something similar between Olivia and Fitz several nights ago in the Oval Office, but nothing out of the ordinary had been said. The two of them had really been talking about a damned garden. How utterly boring! He dozed off thinking about his day tomorrow with a brand new female willing to accept his contribution. He needed his rest for his mid morning performance.

Olivia heard her husband's light snoring as she sat down on the window seat and looked outside. The sky was dark but there was a light not far away that faintly illuminated the area around it. She found herself smiling the moment she realized it was snowing. She knew that children in the area would wake up and see endless possibilities for play as their parents saw detrimental driving conditions. She hoped for their sakes that it didn't melt before morning.

As thoughts of children blew through her mind much like the artic wind outside, Olivia's head wandered in a different direction altogether. She imagined what Fitz looked like as a child. She was smiling as the mental image popped into her mind automatically. In her mind, Fitz had been a tall skinny awkward kid with braces. She bet his pants were constantly too short legged for his height and an inch or two of his socks were always showing. He probably wore button up dress shirts instead of solid colored tees or those with cartoons on them. It wouldn't be fair if he had always been the suave well put together handsome guy he is now. One day she would have to ask him about his childhood. Maybe even ask him for a picture as proof. But for now, in her mind, he had been a bean pole with crooked teeth. God, she missed him.

She wondered what he would think about the baby discussions. She wished she could talk to him about it. Would he tell her to grow up and listen to her husband and focus on the country for now? Or would he tell her if she wanted to have a baby to do whatever her heart desired? That it would be a good thing? Great even?

Another thought slid into her mind. An image of her in a hospital room cradling a newborn who was blissfully asleep in her arms. She would be wrapped up snug in a pink blanket where only her tiny soft face showed. She would have beautiful black eyelashes and a cute little nose, just like her mother. Lots of curly black hair too. But when those long eyelashes fluttered open, two bright blue eyes would look up at her parents, who were completely enchanted with every sound she made.

Fitz would be sitting beside her on the narrow hospital bed, gazing down at his daughter in complete adoration. He would pull the edge of the pink blanket back for the umpteenth time just so he could count his daughter's tiny fingers and toes again. She would sigh in her sleep, a peaceful sound, and Fitz would grin, knowing he was completely and hopelessly wound around her littlest finger. He would lean down and kiss her forehead again and tell her, "daddy loves you" before lifting his head and telling Olivia that he loved her too.

Olivia could picture it perfectly and the smile on her own face made her heart ache with wanting it to become a reality.

It did no good to wish for things she could never have. A baby. Fitz. They were both in the same category now. Unattainable. She sighed, closed the curtain, and went to bed without another thought. She tossed and turned for most of the night as she dreamed about weirdly tall babies with great hair and crooked grins.

By ten thirty the next morning, it had already been a busy start of the day and Olivia was ready to take a nap somewhere quiet and dark. She'd been up since four. After showering and getting dressed, she had a silent breakfast with Will in the residence, been briefed by the joint chiefs about a potentially dangerous situation brewing in Bandar, listened to Cyrus drone on and on about some woman on her staff being insubordinate, and had a dress fitting for the banquet she was throwing at the White House next month. The only person she wanted to hear from was avoiding her like the plague.

She supposed she couldn't blame him. Not really. After their most recent meeting Fitz had kept his distance from her. She knew that he was probably dealing with guilt and fear and maybe even a little bit of anger. Guilt for being involved with a married woman. Fear that Will might know what was going on between them. And anger because they couldn't just enjoy each other in peace like they both desperately wanted to. She had dealt with the trifecta of those feelings warring inside of her for quite some time too. She momentarily shook off thoughts of Fitz as she entered the Oval Office.

Olivia closed the door behind her and leaned heavily against it. She had fifteen minutes before she had to leave for her next meeting. Her plan had been to go into the Oval without being noticed and take a  
quick ten minute nap on the yellow and blue sofa. It was just long enough to help her to feel refreshed in the middle of a busy day. The need to close her eyes was a high priority at the moment. A brief rest would surely help.

She hadn't been sleeping well for the past few days. This time it wasn't from the stress of running the country. It was a result of the interrupted late night meeting she had scheduled with Fitz in this very room several nights ago. That had turned into a debacle of epic proportions when Will surprised both of them with his cocky presence. She never should have asked Fitz to come that late in the evening. It was a recipe for disaster that had surely delivered.

It was time for her to stop thinking and enjoy the peace and quiet. She took two steps towards the couch when the phone on her desk rang. She had been so close. A yawn escaped her lips as she veered from her path to the couch and now headed to her desk to quiet the obnoxious ringing sound. She wanted to be rude to whomever was breaking her plans for a quick nap, but instead she politely answered the phone. "Hello?" It was the chef asking what she wanted for lunch and then dinner in the residence later on. She told him what she felt like eating and ended the call.

Looking over her shoulder at the sofa, Olivia decided that it seemed too far away. She rolled her eyes. So much for a nap now. She probably wouldn't be able to sleep once she got comfortable anyways. The moment she closed her eyes someone would come in unannounced and want something. She turned her head in the other direction and was drawn to the large picture window instead. The one behind her desk. Olivia went over to it and pushing the sheers aside, looked outside.

The snow was still on the ground. She wondered how many houses in the area had a snowman in their yard. How many snowball fights had already been fought? How many kids and parents had slid down hills of all sizes as nervous laughter bubbled up in their throats? She wondered if she would ever be able to play outside in the snow with her child? Dammit, she needed to stop torturing herself this way.

Sighing in defeat, she dropped the curtain. The beautiful winter scenery outside showed trees without any leaves on them. As a result, they had no protection from the harsh cold snow, or the arctic wind that whipped through them without a second thought. They looked cold and barren outside. Olivia felt the same way on the inside.

The door opened and Cyrus made his presence known. "Madam President?"

That had been a quick ten minutes, she thought to herself. Good thing she didn't try taking the nap. In a weary voice she asked, "What is it, Cy?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt but you've received a phone call not long ago from a woman named Donna McIntosh. Does that name ring a bell?" He knew it did. It was his job to know everything that had anything to do with her. He knew but asked the question anyways.

Olivia knew that name. "Donna and Jerry are good friends of mine and Will. They were our neighbors back in Virginia. We were always spending time with each other. Did you say they called the White House?"

"Yes, ma'am. Oddly enough, the son is the reason I am mentioning them at all. It seems that young Mr. McIntosh has gotten himself into some trouble at school." Cyrus explained.

"What happened?" Olivia asked. She had been fond of their son and would constantly sneak him treats and little gifts every time she and Will spent time with his parents. The boy had a good head on his shoulders and seemed interested in government. She couldn't imagine him getting into trouble anywhere. He just wasn't the type. Of course, kids oftentimes changed once they hit puberty. "He was going to Madison Prep if I remember correctly."

Cyrus took a seat on the sofa. The same sofa Olivia had planned on taking a nap on earlier. She reluctantly left her spot at the window and joined him by sitting on the sofa across from where her Chief of Staff was sitting. "There was a boy there. A…" He looked down at the piece of paper he was holding in his hand. "Henry Easterwood. Apparently, Henry hacked into the school's computer system and changed his grades. He was failing a few classes and he changed those grades to A's."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Henry must not be the sharpest tool in the wood shed because everyone knows you don't go from failing to getting a solid A overnight." He gave a short chuckle. "Amateur."

Olivia shot him a look with raised eyebrows. "Are you saying that you changed your own grades in school once upon a time, Cyrus?"

Cy smiled through a faraway expression. He abruptly came back to himself and said, "No ma'am. I am absolutely not saying that. But if I did, I would never have gotten caught at doing it."

She spread her hands in front of herself. "What does any of this have to do with Joseph getting into trouble at his school?"

"Well, not only did Mr. Easterwood change his own grades, he changed the grades of a few students who had been picking on him this year."

"And one of those kids was Joseph? Is that it?" Olivia stood up and began pacing behind the sofa. "So, this Henry Easterwood decides that he is going to get even with some kids who have been making his life a living hell for the past seven months? Nice."

"Yes ma'am." Cyrus said nodding.

"So, why did Donna call the White House switchboard?"

"I assume she was hoping her good friend and former neighbor who just happens to be the president of the United States right now might be able to do something about the situation." Cyrus informed her.

"Give me her number and I'll call her back. It would be nice to catch up with her."

"I really don't think that's a good idea, Madam President."

"Why not?" Olivia asked with a crinkled face.

"Because I did a little digging into the situation and it seems the Easterwood boy's parents have reached out to someone to handle things for them too."

Olivia didn't understand why that was such a big deal to Cyrus? Why all the secrecy? The young man in question was the one who had committed a crime. Joseph might have picked on the boy, but that certainly wasn't illegal. It was definitely wrong on so many levels, but not illegal.

The family would need good representation since their son would be dealing with computer hacking charges. Someone who knew what was what and could make it all disappear quietly. Olivia's gut was telling her the obvious, but she wasn't quite ready to accept what her mind had already conjured up. She purposefully kept her breathing even and asked, "who?"

Cyrus had a niggling feeling deep in the pit of his own stomach, and it had nothing to do with making illegal charges for a teenaged boy go away. It had everything to do with a certain male though. One who could cause even more problems than a computer hacking kid. He hoped he was wrong, but he didn't think he was. He was watching Olivia like a hawk when he spoke next. "The family called Fitzgerald Grant for some help with this situation."

"What?" Her eyebrows went up at this information. "Why Fitz?"

He had seen the anxious look on her face. The way she sat up a little straighter. Listened a little more closely. He would have to get some proof for his theory, but things weren't looking good. Without breaking eye contact, Cyrus said, "because Fitz is a family friend. I believe he's even the boy's godfather."

Focusing on keeping a stern expression on her face, Olivia gave a shrug she hoped came across as careless. "Well then, I guess we need to call Mr. Grant in for a meeting so I can get caught up on the situation."

"Ma'am..." Cyrus impatiently began. There was no way he was going to allow Fitzgerald Grant to enter the Oval and discuss kids with the sitting president. Even teenaged ones. Not after her own husband had basically told her he didn't want to have children with her just last night. No way in hell!

"Cyrus, I'd like to know what he knows. I'm assuming he's already met with the parents?" she asked.

"He has." Cyrus said in a clipped voice.

"Then I want to know what he knows. I need to be completely caught up on what exactly happened between these boys so that when I talk to Donna, I can give her the most updated information. If I know Fiii...Mr. Grant,"

Cyrus stared at her but said nothing. He had heard that slip.

"...he already has a plan in place. If I can get him to share it with us, that may be enough to satisfy my former neighbor's worries. It's the least I can do, Cy. Joseph really is a good kid. I don't know how he got mixed up in all of this, but there has to be a reasonable excuse for it. And if there isn't...well then, I'll discuss options with Mr. Grant on how to best deal with him, so it doesn't happen again. I've got a whole hour clear in my schedule for lunch tomorrow. It only takes fifteen minutes to eat something."

Cyrus regarded her. She sure was chomping at the bit to deal with something so mundane. She did have the time at lunch to deal with it. He would most definitely be sitting in on their meeting so they could remain focused on the issue at hand. "Fine! I'll call Mr. Grant myself and ask him to be here at twelve fifteen. He will be out of here by a quarter to one because you have to be..."

As Cyrus rambled on, Olivia tried to contain her excitement. She was going to see Fitz tomorrow afternoon. Maybe that would kill all the thoughts of babies and him loving on babies. Who was she kidding? She knew better. It would only get worse. Feeling invigorated, she got to her feet and glanced at her watch. It was almost eleven. She silently prayed that this day would go by quickly.

_The next chapter is the last one I had completed before I posted chapter one. That's when we'll start to get into the back stories. The next chapter is also where we'll find out why Will wanted Fitz's services. Will hate is about to be taken up a notch..._


	5. Cold Outside, Warm Inside

**Cold Outside Warm Inside**

"When is winter going to end? That damned groundhog didn't see his shadow a few weeks ago. What's with the weather being in the teens? It's freezing out there!" Fitz complained. He unwound the navy blue scarf from his neck and hung it up on the coat rack with his jacket. With the weather being chillier, Fitz had opted against wearing a suit today. He had on a pair of gray dress pants, a baby blue button up shirt, blue tie, and navy blue cardigan. He still looked professional without looking stuffy, and he was warm too.

"You sound like my grandmother." Huck said laughing. "So, it's cold. Bundle up. It's called winter for a reason."

"Shut up. I brought Starbucks. I even sprang for Ventis. Do you want it or not?"

"You make enough money to spring for ventis every day for the rest of our lives. Stop bitching." Huck chuckled and held out his hand. "What do we have on the schedule today?"

Fitz took a sip of his coffee and scowled. "Why do I even make out a schedule if half of us isn't even looking at it?"

"Because you're anal about organization and you operate better from a work schedule." Huck informed his friend.

Fitz threw his middle finger up at Huck. "I have a ten o'clock meeting in my office with William Swann."

"Guys an asshole." Huck stated. He didn't care if his comment was well received or not. Of course he also knew that the person he was making the comment to was currently screwing William Swann's wife, so he imagined Fitz's opinion pretty much matched his own. "That's my personal opinion of him. I'll be sure to keep the personal away from the professional when other people are here. I'm just telling you that I can't stand him."

"Tell me how you really feel, Huck." Fitz chuckled. He was a little surprised that his co-worker was freely sharing his personal feelings. Huck was a private guy most of the time and rarely spoke his mind about random people. Hearing his opinion on a political figure such as the First Gentleman was a bit of a shock. "He's not a bad guy. Not really. He just comes across as asshole-y."

Huck pretended to think about it for a minute. "Nope. That's not it. Not at all. Will Swann is the biggest asshole I've ever seen on television. What could he possibly want taken care of?"

Fitz appreciated his friend's willingness to change the subject. His opinion was that Will was an asshole too but saying it out loud didn't set a good tone for the office. And he didn't want to be that guy. The one who thinks the husband of the woman he is having sex with is an asshole. He cleared his throat and said, "I honestly don't know what he wants. It could be anything."

Huck didn't care if the president's husband wanted to kiss his ass. It wasn't happening. But he'd sit there and listen and be every bit the professional that he was every day. "Okay. What's happening after that?"

"My tailor is stopping by with my tux. It's my final fitting so I'll be ready for the White House banquet. You sure you don't want to.."

"Don't even bother finishing that sentence. I am not dressing up in a monkey suit just to go to a party and eat food I've never heard of before and hang out with a bunch of people I'll never seen again unless they are on my television. No thanks."

"That's what I thought." Fitz said with a grin. He started to head towards his own office and stopped as another question popped into his mind. "Where are you on the Henry situation? His parents are coming by here around five to..."

"Aren't you leaving the office at all today?" Huck asked. "I need some space from you for my own sanity."

"You're an asshole, Huck."

"Let me guess, it's too cold outside for your precious self to deal with so you're staying in all day to avoid it?" he chuckled at his own humor.

"First of all, my meeting with the president is at the White House, so I'll be gone for that. And what I was trying to tell you is that the Easterwoods are picking me up around five to take me to dinner for taking care of Henry's situation."

"But you're not taking care of it. I am. Why are they taking you out to eat?"

"They are taking me because I am an old friend of theirs. But you're right. You are taking care of it. Which is why they didn't invite you. They don't want to see you, meet you, or know what you have planned for their son. Besides, you wouldn't go anyways. Who are you kidding?" Fitz asked with a grin.

"There's that. I've got plans for after office hours. Plans that don't include kids or parents or uppity restaurants."

"That's a relief." Fitz said rolling his eyes. "Where are you on their situation?"

Huck informed Fitz of his plan while Fitz poured more coffee and half listened. He knew Huck would take care of the situation. The details were just a formality. Him asking for them was just what a boss does and they both knew it.

"Great." Fitz interrupted him halfway through. "Anyways, after I'm done with Liv..."

Huck wondered if that visit was personal or professional but didn't ask.

"...I have an appointment at the White House with Cyrus to discuss the Margaret Timmons matter. Apparently, the president is too busy to deal with it and Cyrus is taking over."

"I actually like Cyrus."

"You do?" Fitz asked in a surprised tone.

"Yea. He comes across as a jerk, and I think that might be part of his personality, but ultimately, it's just a protection mechanism. If you act like an asshole people tend to leave you alone." Huck explained.

"You think William Swann just acts like that as a protection mechanism too?" Fitz asked. He already had a good idea what his co-worker was going to say.

"Nope, that guy is an asshole through and through." Huck plainly stated. "Cyrus has ulterior motives. Will isn't that deep of a thinker. He's an idiot at best."

"I'm not going to share my thoughts on that."

Huck sat up straight in his chair. "You don't have to. If you agree with me just smile."

Fitz wasted no time and sent Huck his best smile. He clapped his hands together once and changed the topic of conversation by saying, "My plan is to wrap shit up by five so I won't have to cancel grabbing dinner with the Easterwoods and maybe sleep more than two or three hours at home tonight."

"Your high and lofty plans are so sad, man. But good luck." If his boss dated someone the two of them could talk about, Huck would send word to her to let her know that Fitz would be in the same building she worked in later on that afternoon. Instead, he was in love with the married president of the United States and wouldn't be getting laid anytime soon to stop being a grumpy ass. "Tell me you brought a jacket to wear instead of that Mr. Rogers sweater?"

"I'm supposed to take fashion advice from you? The man who wears t-shirts underneath flannel ones with jeans every day to work?"

"I can't have my reputation for working at this place being tarnished because you got kicked out of the White House on a dress code violation."

"Smartass" Fitz muttered as he made his way to his own office. Of course he had a suit jacket. He looked in the closet inside his office to make sure it was still there. It was. Huck was an asshole.

The tall somber faced men in suits quietly made their way into the foyer and began sweeping the area to make sure it was safe for the First Gentleman to enter. Secret Service were very good at their jobs, but they were super creepy and always looked ready to snap someone's neck for any reason at all. One of them spoke quietly into what appeared to be a wrist watch as his eyes stayed fixed on Huck.

Fitz didn't recognize any of the agents he knew who were on Olivia's detail, so he leaned on the doorframe of his office door and watched them without speaking. He noticed what appeared to be the lead agent staring Huck down as if he were a member of ISIS. "His name is Huck and he works for me. He'd been here for nine years. He's not a threat."

"Oh, I'm a threat..." Huck began.

"Shut up, Huck." Fitz replied mildly.

"A threat to your women. They can't resist my handsome face and charming personality."

"Shut up, Huck." Fitz echoed.

"You're just jealous because you don't have a woman." Huck teased.

"Is that so?" a deep voice asked from the front door. "Are you telling me the fixer can't fix his own personal life?"

Walked right into that one, Fitz thought. He plastered on a smile and began making his way towards Will. When he got there, he extended his right hand, chuckled, and said, "I'm afraid not. Good to see you, Will."

"You too, Fitz." Will leaned conspiratorially closer and added, "you know I could set you up with someone. I know a lot of women who would be happy to go out with a good looking, educated, gainfully employed guy like you."

Fitz was well aware of the kind of women the First Gentleman knew. None of them were the type of girl he wanted to date. Of course dating wasn't exactly what they did anyways. Fitz wanted no part of it. "Thanks, but I'm waiting for the right one to come along."

"Well, until she gets here, there's nothing wrong with having a little fun with the wrong ones. A man's got needs, and those needs have to be met. Am I right?" He jerked his elbow into Fitz's ribs repeatedly as he chuckled.

Huck gave the secret service agent a deadly glare until the man shifted his eyes to something else. The non threatening man silently watched the entire exchange between Will and Fitz go down in front of him. Will Swann was quite possibly the tackiest human being alive. He wondered how his boss was going to get out of this situation without coming across as ungrateful? He watched Fitz's eyes search the room for a possible escape. Some fixer he is. "He's got a date this afternoon." Huck informed the First Gentleman.

For a split second, Fitz's eyes went wide with shock before he quickly recovered and replaced the look with a charming smile. He was going to have to have a word with Huck about sharing his private information with anyone.

"Do you now?" Will asked with a knowing grin. "Who's the lucky lady?"

"As a gentleman, I never kiss and tell." Fitz replied smoothly. This subject needed to be changed as soon as possible. Bones could be broken. Death was even a possibility. Will could easily find out that Fitz had an appointment with Liv at noon. It would be on her schedule.

"So, you're planning on getting some sugar? Good for you, Fitz. Maybe you'll get a little more than that, and this day will be a whole lot better for you?"

Fitz thought of Olivia and the countless surfaces in the Oval Office he could have her on or up against. The grin that tugged on the edges of his mouth was a result of his vivid imagination of such things. What was he thinking? He had to stop filling his brain with how many ways he could have Olivia while her husband stood two feet away from him. In a bored tone he said, "maybe. Why don't you go get settled in the conference room while Huck and I grab some coffee? You want a cup?"

"Why not? Cream only. No sugar. I'm plenty sweet enough without it." Will said.

Huck and Fitz went to the coffee pot and as Huck poured Fitz lit into him. "What the hell was that all about? Are you insane? My appointment with the president is going to be on her schedule. That's something he could check if he wanted to. It wasn't smart to mention that to him."

It was interesting to Huck that of all the appointments Fitz had today, he chose his meeting with the president as the one for his fake date. Of course, he didn't mention that to him, but he found it very interesting anyways. And now to get himself out of the doghouse. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! I didn't mean the president! Are you crazy! Will wouldn't think your appointment with her is a date either. He knows your relationship with her is strictly a professional one. Your tailor is female. And a sexy one too."

"Miranda? She's not sexy!" Fitz sputtered.

"Dude, she is smokin' hot."

"Shut up! The problem with your explanation is that she is coming here this morning. I won't be seeing her this afternoon." Fitz made a mental note to arrange for Huck to get his eyes checked.

"So, if the subject is brought up again, just tell Will that she couldn't wait to see you until this afternoon and came by this morning. He's an idiot, remember? He'll believe the lie." Some days Fitz was hard work.

Fitz thought about it for a minute. "Yea, that could work. If he's still here rambling, it would be a great way to get rid of him too. Good thinking Huck. Thanks."

"That's what I get paid the big bucks for." Huck said dryly.

The three men sat at one end of the large mahogany table in the open conference room. Each had a mug of coffee near their hand and a serious expression. "Why don't you tell us why you're here?" Fitz said.

Later on, Fitz stood in the foyer outside of Cyrus' office. The day had gone from bad to worse. First, he had to endure Will rambling on and on about how he had accidentally gotten a woman pregnant from a one night stand. It had made him feel physically ill and had been difficult for Fitz to hear for so many reasons. Will should be at home trying to get his wife pregnant. Why was he having sex with strange women? Fitz wanted to lash out at him, but somewhere in the middle of Will's confession, at the core of it all, Fitz realized that he and Will were kind of the same. It was hard to admit to himself, but it was absolutely true. They were both spending time with people that could never be theirs.

His tailor had showed up right on time and Fitz had watched Will's eyes practically fall out of his head at the sight of her. Fitz took a real look at her for the first time to see what all the male fuss was about. She was a beautiful woman with thick, long, brown, wavy hair and blue eyes. She looked to be a size two and had amazing curves and legs for days. But she didn't do anything for Fitz. There wasn't a spark there. She was just another female in his life. Nothing special.

Will on the other hand seemed to need a minute. His secret service agents led the tall brunette towards the men in the conference room and ultimately left her with them at Fitz's nod. Fitz watched the president's husband's eyes slowly travel up and down Miranda's body appreciatively. "Are you Fitz's girl?" Will asked.

"I am." she stated firmly.

Huck's eyebrows went up but he remained quiet. This just got interesting.

"Miranda Lawler, this is William Swann. William, this is Miranda." Fitz said, introducing them.

"Nice to meet you, honey." Will said, still eyeing her body.

Huck wanted more than ever to kick Will's ass. He was such a pig.

Knowing what they had just discussed, Fitz felt the need to protect her from the disgusting predator in the room. Praying she wouldn't slap him, Fitz kissed her on the cheek and said, "is it ready?"

Miranda never missed a beat and stated, "of course it is" before handing him the hanger.

"What's in the garment bag?" Will asked.

"His tuxedo." Miranda replied politely. "For the banquet at the White House. He will be the most handsome man in attendance."

"Honey, you've never seen me in a tux." Will bragged.

"I don't need to. Fitz makes James Bond look like a child when he's in a tux. It is truly a sight to behold."

Huck cheered for Miranda at her quick comeback. She wasn't taking Will's shit.

"Stop it. You're embarrassing me." Fitz replied sheepishly. "Is there anything else you need, Mr. Swann? Miranda is also my tailor and I need to try this thing on one last time to make sure it fits properly." Fitz explained.

"Are you bringing her to the banquet?" Will asked. He hoped so. He would love to get the thin amazon in his arms for a dance, and maybe something else entirely while his wife shmoozed the guests.

Why hadn't Fitz thought of that ahead of time? He was stuck now and would have no choice but to bring Miranda along to the party. "Of course I am." he heard himself say.

"You'll have to save a dance for me." Will said, sending Miranda a lusty wink.

Once he was gone, and his secret service agents with him, Miranda loudly exclaimed, "Who the fuck was that guy and why is he so creepy?"

Huck laughed and held a hand up until she ultimately grinned and slapped it with her own. "You put the First Gentleman in his place perfectly. Marry me, Miranda!"

"I can't. Not until I'm done taking your ugly co-worker to the ball." she replied with a laugh of her own.

Fitz was grinning right along with them. "I'm really sorry you got sucked into that. Don't worry, I can make excuses for you to not attend."

"No thank you. I just got invited to a party at the White House. And while I may not think you are anything special, I have a good reason to go shopping for a gown and get my hair and make-up done. You are going to show me off properly, Mr. Grant." she informed him. "If I have to dance with a pig as payment, so be it."

"She is awesome! Can we keep her?" Huck asked still grinning.

Once Miranda had left the office, Fitz read an email from the president's Chief of Staff. It appeared that her schedule had gotten fuller and she had to cancel her meeting with him. Cyrus was still planning to see the fixer in his office at two. Fitz felt more than a little deflated at the idea of not seeing Olivia today, but he tried on his tux and did his best to put the disappointment out of his mind before heading to the White House.

"Mr. Beene will see you now." his secretary chirped.

Fitz got to his feet and opened the wooden door, striding in and shutting it behind him. "Hello, Cyrus."

"Mr. Grant. How good of you to come." Cyrus replied.

The two of them had been discussing Margaret Timmons for fifteen minutes when Cyrus' door was suddenly flung open. Both men turned their heads to see who had entered without an invitation and were greeted with the fiery eyes of the president. She had on a black pant suit with a pink blouse under her jacket. They got to their feet immediately. "Madam President." they said in surprised unison.

"What the hell is going on here?" she demanded.

Fitz knew Olivia's moods well enough to know that she was truly pissed off. When she was like that it was best to let her get it out of her system without making matters worse. She was the epitome of sexy when she was angry though, and he couldn't help but lick his lips as he watched his little temptress fume.

Cyrus scowled openly at his boss. "I'm sorry?"

"You should be! You moved my schedule around so that I wouldn't be able to meet with Mr. Grant today?"

"Well, I..." he began.

"You knew how important my meeting with him was, Cyrus! It was a personal matter that I wanted to deal with myself. What do you have to say for yourself?" she spat out.

Don't say anything Cy, Fitz silently warned.

"You can deal with personal matters when you are a civilian once again." he began.

Big mistake, Fitz thought. He tried to keep the desire he was feeling for her under control as he continued to watch the train wreck happening in front of him.

"As the president, you have important meetings to attend every day. Things that are not deemed important, such as children of your former neighbors, are relegated as unworthy of your time. Stay focused, madam president!" Cyrus would say whatever he had to, to get Olivia out of the room. He could feel the sexual tension radiating off of Mr. Grant like heat waves in the summertime.

Olivia put her hands on her hips and shot him an evil look. "If you want to remain my Chief of Staff and not be relegated to a civilian yourself, you will not touch my schedule again without discussing it with me beforehand. Am I clear, Mr. Beene?"

"Crystal." he replied flippantly.

"Perfect. Now, I know that the two of you have been talking about Margaret Timmons. And I know that you think I don't know that she has been leaking things to the media. I am well aware of that fact. I've been giving her false information for the past three days. She will crash and burn and ultimately be fired for all of it. Relax, I've got this."

Fitz was impressed and grinned to no one in particular.

"Now. If you don't mind, I'll be taking over your meeting, since you took mine. I have some things to take care of with Mr. Grant."

"Madam President..." Cyrus sputtered.

"You'd better get on top of a press release stating why Ms. Timmons was let go. That'll be all, Cyrus."

Fitz knew better than to argue and collected his things and quickly followed Olivia out of the room. They made their way through winding halls until they reached their destination; the Oval Office. On her way inside, Olivia told her secretary, "hold my calls for the next half hour please."

Once the door shut behind them Olivia turned around and launched herself at Fitz. He caught her in his arms without dropping her somehow even though he stumbled back a few steps. Olivia wasted no time and kissed him feverishly. His mouth caught up quick once the surprise was gone and he gave as good as he got. Gripping her hips tightly, Fitz groaned as her tongue slithered into his mouth. He sucked on it and pulled her even closer to him.

The two of them stumbled onto the yellow and blue sofa, never letting their lips part. She was straddling his lap and enjoying the feel of being on top of him when he remembered what they were doing and where. Fitz froze. Confused, Olivia looked down at him. "What's the matter?"

"We can't do this in here. There are cameras, Liv." he whispered.

There was a top of the line sound system in here too she thought with a smile. "Tom is on my detail tonight. He'll swipe it from the camera as if you were never in here. At least not until we start talking about the teenaged boys. But I don't want to talk at all right now. Take your pants off." She ordered.

Fitz held tightly to Olivia and got to his feet. Grinning at her he said, "someone's missed me. You must want it really bad huh?"

"You have no idea. Pants! Off! Now! We have about twenty minutes before Cyrus comes storming in here demanding to be a part of the conversation. Can you take care of business in fifteen, so we are dressed when that happens?"

He nipped her bottom lip. "Stop talking about Cyrus and unbuckle my belt." He felt her fingers tugging on his belt and went back to kissing her. "Mmmm, missed you" he mumbled between hungry kisses.

"Show me how much" Olivia demanded when she had his rock hard length free from the confines of his underwear.

Fitz dropped the president on her tiny little feet and took a seat on the sofa. Olivia anxiously tugged her dress pants and panties down, kicking one leg free from the material. The other pant leg was still inside out and clinging to her ankle. She wasted no time straddling Fitz's lap once more and impaling herself onto him all the way to the hilt. Both of them groaned loudly at the exquisite feeling of being joined with the person they loved most in the world.

His hands roughly left her hips and traveled up to the bottom button on her pink blouse. He began opening each button as Olivia rode him like a woman possessed. When all the buttons were undone, he reached behind her and effortlessly flicked the clasp of her bra open, letting it fall. Leaning forward with his mouth open, he latched onto her stiff nipple and began sucking hard. Olivia cried out, letting her head fall back, but continued to bounce up and down on his lap.

He wanted to suck on her neck until it left a mark. He wanted someone to know that she was his and that he was taking excellent care of her needs. But he knew he couldn't.

Olivia lifted her head and held Fitz close. This would be over soon and who knew when it would happen again? It had been too long since it had happened the last time. "I've missed you so much. I needed this. Needed you."

Her words made him slow down until they weren't moving any more. He looked at her in wonder. Her lips were swollen, her hair was in disarray, and her chest was on display for anyone to see. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and he was so hopelessly in love with her. He looked into her eyes in the stillness of the moment, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I love you, Liv."

Remembering the cameras, he leaned closer, so they were skin to skin. He wished more than anything that he could take his time and tenderly make love to Olivia. But he'd settle for this. For now. He wondered if she would repeat the sentiment back to him?

Olivia knew that they were pushing it. Their time together was almost over this time. Parting with Fitz after having him in such an intimate way was always so difficult for her. There was nothing she loved to hear more than him telling her that he loved her. Her heart was bursting with happiness, and her body felt thoroughly used in the best possible way. She touched her lips with his in a soft sweet kiss. Pulling back from his mouth she whispered, "I love you too, Fitz. More than anything."

He lifted Olivia up, kissed her passionately, and laid her on her back before he began ramming into her with reckless abandon. She wrapped her legs tighter around his waist and chanted, "more, more, more!"

So, he gave her more. All of his feelings and frustrations and expectations he pounded into her, until finally, he felt her fingernails sink into his back. He knew he'd have eight perfect crescents in his back for the next few days, but it would be worth the battle marks. She clamped her lips together and tried so hard not to scream as her little body tensed up and she stopped breathing for a few delicious heart stopping seconds.

Having no choice but to follow her, Fitz kept at it for a few seconds longer until he too stilled all movement. He grunted, tightening his grip on her hips, knowing he would be leaving marks on her delicate skin and not caring. She was trying to even her breathing out to normal while Fitz crumpled like a felled tree on top of her. He felt her hand stroke his back while the other played in the curls at the back of his neck. Nothing felt more peaceful and he wished he could stay here with her like this for hours.

Lifting his head, he looked down at her. She had mascara streaked on one cheek and her lipstick was long gone. She would also have a hard time getting her hair to look like it had before they had arrived in the Oval. The president of the United States looked exactly like she should. Thoroughly fucked. He smiled at her before pecking her lips and telling her, "we've got to get up."

He held out a hand for her to take, which she did. "Do I look as bad as you do?" she asked with a grin.

"It had been a while. I'm so sorry for being too rough with you." he said.

"No. Don't apologize to me for what we do behind closed doors. Not ever." She got up on her tiptoes and kissed him. When his arms came around her waist, she never wanted to let him leave. "I'm going to go into the washroom and try to get myself together. You...You should do the same."

Fitz had gotten his clothes back on and ran his fingers through his hair. It felt like it looked decent. He wished Olivia would come out so he could go and check for sure.

The door to the Oval opened and Cyrus stepped inside. He looked around the room and said, "What did you do with the president? Mr. Grant?"

But Fitz couldn't comprehend the words coming out of Cyrus' mouth. He was frozen in place because he just realized that he hadn't stopped to put on a condom before he'd had sex with Olivia.


	6. We Need the Room

**We Need the Room**

Cyrus was rambling on and on about how boys will be boys. His voice sounded muffled. Distant. Like he was in a tunnel or underwater. Fitz caught every third or fourth word. He was staring at the blue rug on the floor as his mind went into overdrive at what had transpired in this room fifteen minutes ago and how he was going to tell Liv.

How could he have been so stupid?

The answer to that question was obvious. It had been far too long since he and Olivia had spent time together like that and they had gotten caught up in the passionate moment to have the sense to stop long enough for him to roll on a condom. He let out a frustrated sound, and a moment later he heard Cyrus' muffled voice stop talking.

Fitz cleared his throat and sat back on the sofa he'd just had Olivia on. He brought a finger to his lips in deep thought before forcing himself to pay attention to the conversation he was supposed to be contributing to. The moment he caught Olivia's gaze she narrowed her eyes at him in concern.

Sitting calmly in her plush chair, the president of the United States kept her eyes on her fixer and said, "we need the room."

Cyrus kept talking as if she had never uttered a word.

In a much bolder voice, and with more authority, Olivia looked at Cyrus and said, "We need the room please, Cyrus."

"Excuse me?" he asked with confusion.

Olivia got to her feet, which immediately prompted both men to get to theirs. "We need the room. Now."

Cyrus cut his eyes to the other man in the room and then back to his boss. He had words on the tip of his tongue. Plenty of them. But the president had spoken, and he was not one to question her. Not now anyway. He'd find out what had been said sooner or later. He always did because it was his job to know. He wordlessly went to the door and left the room.

"What's going on?" Fitz asked.

"You tell me." she shot back.

"What do you mean?" he asked with a crinkled brow.

"Fitz, I know you. Your head isn't in the conversation." Olivia touched his arm. "Something's on your mind."

He needed to tell her what was weighing so heavily on his mind. He knew it would weigh heavy on her mind once he told her and that reason alone had him holding back. He began to pace right there in the Oval Office. "Something is on my mind. I'm just..."

She stood in his path and gave him a smile. "We can reschedule." She got up on her tip toes and put her arms around his neck. "It will give us another opportunity to be together under the guise of a meeting. If this afternoon was any indication of how badly we needed to see each other..."

"Liv." Fitz broke in. "We need to talk."

"Uh oh. That's never a good thing." She fell back onto her heels and studied his face. Gesturing to the seating area the two of them sat down as he got his thoughts together. Whatever was on his mind was serious.

"Look, I don't know how to tell you this without coming right out and saying it."

It was her worst fear made a reality. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "You've met someone."

Fitz's head jerked back in response. "What? No!" he replied forcefully. He reached for her hands and held them in his while maintaining eye contact with her. He slowly shook his head back and forth and in a gentler tone said, "no. When we were together earlier I..." He dropped her hands, got to his feet, and began to pace on the blue rug he had been staring a hole into earlier.

Olivia squinted up at him. Whatever he needed to say was really serious. Serious enough that he didn't know how to tell her. Now she really wanted to know what it was. Once again, she stood in his path. "Take a breath, and just tell me. Whatever it is we will figure it out, okay?"

He led her back to where they had just been sitting and both of them sat down once again. He inhaled deeply and expelled the breath, feeling a little better. "When we were together earlier; I didn't stop to put on a condom." He watched her face and waited for her reaction.

She looked at Fitz and let his words sink in. Her mind automatically took her back to the thoughts she'd had with a newborn and Fitz by her side. It had seemed so real. Felt real as well. And now he was sitting across from her telling her that it had the possibility of becoming a reality. She decided to share it with him.

"I had a daydream the other night while I was looking out the window at the snow. You were in it."

"Really? What was I doing in this daydream of yours?" he asked. He had a pretty good idea.

"You were sitting in a hospital room with me and we were looking down in complete wonder of our newborn daughter."

That was not the reaction Fitz was expecting from her. This time he didn't interrupt her. He wasn't even breathing. He was too busy trying to picture the scene as Liv described it to him. His heart ached with longing for her dream to become a reality.

"You were head over heels in love with her."

Her voice broke through his thoughts.

"Every little sound she made, had you wrapped more tightly around her perfect little finger." Olivia informed him with a slight shake of her head.

"Why do you think you were thinking about the two of us having a baby together?"

She decided to be honest with Fitz, but she needed to put some space between them when she told him the reason. She got her feet and went to stand on top of the eagle in the center of the rug on the floor, hoping it would lend her strength to have this conversation with him. "Because I told Will I wanted a baby."

"I don't under..."

"He said no." Olivia replied flatly. "Well, he said not right now. But that's the same thing as saying no, isn't it?"

"Doesn't he realize that a baby would be a good thing? For your marriage and your presidency?" He hated himself for sliding into fixer mode so easily. The last thing he wanted was to watch her and Will have a child together. It would kill him. But it would keep Will on a short leash, and after his admission at the firm earlier that day, he needed to be kept on one. He caught her eye and saw a hint of sadness in them. "I'm sorry. Please continue."

"I've wanted a baby for a very long time. I can remember being a little girl and putting a throw pillow from the sofa underneath my dress, as if I were pregnant like my friend's mother."

Fitz watched her hand and eyes go to her stomach and stay there.

"I think there is something in some little girls that makes them yearn to be a mommy and raise babies. But when Will turned me down again, my thoughts went to you." She lifted her head and gave a small shrug of her shoulders. "What were you like as a boy?"

"What?" Fitz's eyes left her flat stomach and flew up to her face. "Why?"

"Because I conjured up my own thoughts about what kind of young boy you were. Probably to know better what our child would be a little like. I thought I'd ask you to see how far off the mark I was." She smiled at him. "Tell me."

He gave her a sad smile and went to stand in front of her. He wasn't a fan of the space between them and needed to have her close again.. He took her hand and led her to the sofa they had expelled some energy on earlier. His arm came around her and Olivia nestled into his side. She kicked off her heels and tucked them underneath her body to get even closer. Fitz thought back to when he was a kid. "I was nothing special. Too tall and too thin. I looked like a stick." he chuckled. "My mother swore I would never stop growing. You know how most families pick a doorway in the house and mark the heights of their children to show how tall they've gotten over the years?"

"Of course" Olivia replied.

"My mother stopped doing it when I was ten. She said there were two problems with us doing that. One, we would run out of doorway to mark before I became a teenager."

Olivia giggled and covered her mouth with her hand.

"And two, I would get too tall for her to be able to reach the top of my head to mark the doorway." He smiled as he thought of his mother. It had been a while since he had thought about her. Talking about her to Olivia felt natural and normal. He wished Liv could have met her. The two of them would have bonded instantly, and he would have enjoyed knowing the two women who meant the most to him were close. He cleared his throat and continued.

"I was a sharp dresser though. It's probably why I love wearing a suit every day."

"Please tell me about that." she said, encouraging him with a grin.

"I wore lots of polo shirts. Stripes were my favorite, but I'd wear the solid colored ones too. Also, the ones with..."

Olivia was laughing quietly, but it quickly grew louder as Fitz described the attire of his youth.

"What's so funny?" He asked with a grin and poked a finger into her ribs.

"Stop it!" she shrieked. When Olivia had herself under control again, she turned her head and looked up into his crystal blue eyes. "That is exactly how I pictured you to be as a kid. It's nice to know that I was right about it."

She got up on her knees and cupped his cheeks in her hands. "And for the record, don't you ever say that you were nothing special. You turned out to be an amazing man, inside and out." She leaned close and gently touched their lips together for a soft gentle kiss. "I wish I could have met your mom."

He was over the moon in love with her. Their situation wasn't an ideal one, but who's was? It also didn't stop the enormous amount of love he felt for her. Fitz rested his forehead against hers and said, "she would have loved you, Liv. I know she would have. And...I can easily imagine the two of you ganging up together to pick on me."

"Awww, poor baby." And just like that, she was consumed with thoughts about the possibility of being pregnant with his child again.

The room was filled with an awkward silence for a long minute. Fitz removed his arm from around her and turned to face Olivia. With a serious expression he said, "Liv, I need to tell you something. Something that's going to be difficult for you to hear, but you need to hear it anyways."

"There's more? What is it?" she asked wearily.

"You need to know that I am not sharing this information with you for any reason other than I think you should know it. It may seem like I am using it for personal gain but believe me when I say I'm not."

Olivia pulled herself from the cozy spot on his side that she had just been so content in and looked up at him. "I know you. Really know you, Fitz. And I know you wouldn't do that to me. Tell me what it is."

"There's no easy way to tell you this information, so again, I'm just going to say it." He saw her nod and took a deep breath. "Will came to my office earlier this afternoon. He made an appointment to speak to me and Huck."

Her eyebrows dropped in confusion. "You two aren't exactly chummy. Did he go see you for a friendly visit or because he needed a fixer for something?"

This was going to be so hard. To tell her and to watch her process it. "The latter, I'm afraid."

"But I don't know of anything he would need to have taken care of. What was it?" She felt him stiffen and added, "don't even think about getting up to pace."

"He came to see me because of a delicate matter. Will has found himself in a difficult situation that needs to be dealt with very discreetly and..."

"Fitz!" Olivia said his name in an impatient tone. "I don't need to be mansplained to. Whatever he's gotten himself into, I can handle it. Just tell me."

"Will has been sleeping around behind your back."

"Will has been what?" Her eyes went wide and she immediately got to her feet. "Who is the woman? Is it someone in the White House? Oh my god, please don't let it be anyone at the White House."

"There have been numerous women, Olivia. I don't think any of them worked here, although I wouldn't put it past him." He hated being the one to tell her all of this. Her jackass of a cheating husband should be telling her himself. Fitz could see the hurt written all over her face and it killed him to know it was the result of the words he was telling her. "He said it started on the campaign trail, but it may go back even further than that. Huck is looking into it."

"The campaign trail?! That asshole!" Olivia shouted and got to her feet. "Why would he do this to me? He's making history almost as much as I am. The nation has never had a First Gentleman. Why would he put that and his name in jeopardy and be forever remembered as a lying cheating bastard?"

"Liv."

"If he thinks for one minute that he's going to continue to live here..."

"Liv." Fitz repeated.

"...he's got another thing coming. I am NOT going to put up with that shit. Not from him! As far as I'm concerned, he can pack his bags and get the hell out of here! Tonight!"

Fitz stood in front of her and gently held onto her forearms. "Hey. You're pissed off, and I understand that but..."

Her wild brown eyes flicked up to his blue ones and narrowed. "I don't understand. If he's been having affairs with lots of women for years, why does he suddenly need..."

Fitz watched as the realization of the situation came across Olivia's face. She crumpled onto the sofa beside him. "Oh my god. One of them is pregnant, isn't she?"

"I'm afraid so."

She turned her head in his direction with wide eyes. "What did he want you to do? Make the girl get rid of the baby? Or get her to sign a non-disclosure and get rid of the girl?"

"He'd rather the baby be taken care of, but that was absolutely plan B if the mother didn't go along with that."

"How much did he want you to offer her to have an abortion?" Olivia asked. She could taste the bile in her mouth knowing her husband had been cheating on her. It was only made worse to know he had gotten a stranger pregnant so easily while making it so difficult for his wife to achieve the same goal. In this moment, she was beyond relieved that he hadn't been interested in fathering a child with her. The thought of bringing a child into the world and not knowing that her husband had such a busy side life was nauseating.

"Three million dollars." Fitz replied quietly.

"Are you fucking kidding? Three million dollars is the price of a life? I can't...I don't even know how to respond to that! This kind of thing doesn't happen every day."

Fitz rubbed her back in a soothing pattern. He felt terrible for dropping such a big bomb on her. He knew it was a lot to deal with, and that the ripple effects of it would extend for days, months, and maybe even years to come. He planned to be there for her however he could. "I'm so sorry, Liv. I didn't want to tell you, but I felt like you had every right to know the truth about him."

"I'm glad you told me. I just..." she sighed heavily.

"You just what?" he asked.

Olivia closed her eyes and curled up into his side once more. She felt betrayed and wounded and that nothing would ever be right in her life again. She felt Fitz's arms come around her, holding her close and she let him hold her. The tears were close. As much as she didn't want to waste a single tear on Will, she knew they were coming. She had to voice her question before they crashed through like a ton of bricks. In a wobbly voice she asked, "I just want to know why he didn't want to have a baby with me?"

The last two words were a whisper before her body was overcome with the emotions she had kept so well at bay during their conversation. Fitz held her even closer and gently laid his cheek on top of her head. Will Swann was a fucking imbecile, who didn't deserve Olivia. "I can't pretend to know the answer to that, Livvie, but I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

She cried for a good long while and Fitz held her the entire time. He knew she wouldn't want soothing words of encouragement or comfort. When she got herself together again, she would want vengeance. She would put together a plan for Will and she would expect it to be carried out. Formidable Olivia Pope was a fearsome thing to behold, in Fitz's opinion.

After she was all cried out, knowing it would be the last time she shed tears over her husband, Olivia got to her feet, followed by Fitz, and opened the door to the bathroom inside of her office. She splashed a little cold water on her face and wiped it dry, doing her best not to make more of a mess of her make-up than she already had. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt some of the steel return inside of her. She was going to make him pay. For what he had done to her, for constantly putting her off from having her own children, and for wasting so much of her life on him. A plan was beginning to take root in her head.

Coming back into the Oval, Liv swiped her index finger underneath her right eye. She went to the decanter and poured a small splash of scotch into two glasses. One glass was handed to Fitz as she stood in front of him with the other glass in her hand. She threw her head back and emptied her glass. The fire in her belly from the alcohol felt good. The determination that was building inside of her also felt good. "I'm going to divorce him."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I want all of the information on Will that you can find. Every dirty secret, every affair, every woman's name, every hotel, and town where he slept with them. Hell, I want to know what room number they were in. And when I have everything there is to possibly know about my husband," she spat out the last two words. "then I'm going to confront him with every fact and detail. And I'm going to put him out of the White House on his ass and divorce him! The world may never know the truth about him, at least not until years from now when I write a book about my life in the White House, but I will."

"And he will go along with this plan peacefully because you will hold all the power."

"Exactly." Olivia stated confidently.

Olivia's plan was a good one. Will would have no wiggle room to maneuver his way back into Olivia's life. There would be no more First Gentleman. No more press. No more women or surprise pregnancies to hide from his wife. Huck would dig until he had every detail on every rendezvous Will had ever had while married to Olivia. There was just one more detail that needed to be dealt with.

"What if you become pregnant as a result of this afternoon?"

She had been so wrapped up in what Will had done to her, that she had almost forgotten how this conversation had even began. She thought about it for quite some time before she took a seat next to Fitz once again. "If my daydream becomes a reality, I'll be the happiest woman in the world. The other day when I was thinking about what life would be like to have a baby with you, it wasn't the first time I've entertained that thought."

"It wasn't?" he asked with surprise.

She smiled at him. "No. I know I shouldn't think about such things, and wish them into reality, especially since we are sitting here discussing my husband's infidelities. There is a difference between us though. A big one. Will doesn't love any of the women he is sleeping with."

He wondered if that was true. "How could you know that?"

"Because William Swann doesn't love anyone near as much as he loves himself. And I love you, Fitz. This thing between us, it isn't just sex. We love each other." she explained.

"I know that I shouldn't, but I do. I love you, Liv. With my whole heart."

"And that's why if I end up pregnant with your child, I'm going to keep it. And love it. And raise him or her to be a good person. Someone who is intelligent and brave and loving and kind and considerate and..." The air was sucked from her lungs as Fitz crushed his lips against hers in a fevered hungry kiss. All Olivia could do was hold on and try to keep up with him.

Fitz pulled away from her mouth as quickly as he attacked it. They didn't have time to go another round, as much as he would love to. They had important things to discuss. "We can do this together. It's going to take some time to get rid of Will. I'll make sure Huck makes this top priority, but it's going to take time to compile all of the information that you want, to quietly draw up the divorce papers, and to confront Will with all of it. Until then, you are going to have to act like nothing has changed."

"Fitz, I don't think that I..."

"Yes, you can! You have to, Liv. Will can't so much as suspect that you are up to anything against him. The plan hinges on you having the element of surprise. In order to maintain that, you're going to have to continue living life just as you have been."

"I can't lay in a bed beside him, Fitz. The thought of it is making my skin crawl!" Olivia rubbed her hands up and down on her arms.

"You're the president, Liv. You have important meetings to attend all the time. Get creative with your schedule so you don't have to spend time sleeping beside him at night. You've got that big banquet you're planning coming up just around the corner." He took a step back from her and added, "speaking of the banquet."

"Don't you dare tell me you're not planning to attend." Olivia warned.

"I'm going to be there. I...uhhh...I'm bringing someone with me." he stammered.

"A date?" she inquired with a look.

He grinned and kissed her nose. "You're cute when you're jealous."

"Don't change the subject, Fitzgerald."

"You sounded just like my mother." he said, finding humor in the situation. "Miranda is most definitely not my date. She's my plus one for the party. It's a long story, and one I'll be more than glad to explain to you another time, but I wanted you to know so you weren't caught off guard when you saw us walk in together."

"Are you going to be able to break away from Miranda long enough to dance with me?" Olivia asked with an exaggerated eye roll.

He held her hand and plainly told her, "I would move mountains to be with you."

Olivia opened her mouth to say something, but Fitz pulled her into his arms, quickly silencing her.

"You have nothing to worry about. You are the only woman for me. I'm going to need for you to find some place where we can spend a few minutes together at your party." He clenched his jaw as his eyes roamed her beautiful face. "I know that once I see you, I'm going to want to touch you or kiss you."

"I'll find a quiet spot where you will be free to do those things." she replied in a sultry voice. It was ridiculous that she wanted him all over again. The fact that he could take her to a low place and set her back on top of the world and make her feel like she was priceless treasure to him was a wonder to her. It was just another reason why she loved him so much.

Instead of giving in to those feelings, she took a step back away from him. It was time to go back to being president. "We've had the room for far too long. Cyrus is probably standing outside my office with a glass between his ear and the door," she chuckled.

Fitz adjusted his tie at his neck, buttoned his suit jacket, and headed for the door. "You're probably right. I'll get Huck busy working on what you requested. If you need me for anything, anything at all, you know how to reach me. Don't try to handle everything yourself. I'm here to help. Remember that. And pick one of the dozens of bedrooms in this house and get some damned sleep please."

"I will. I promise."

Before Fitz got to the door, it opened and in stepped a smiling Will. He took in the sight of the two of them alone and froze in fear that Fitz had told his wife about what they had discussed in his office earlier that day.

"Will, good to see you. It's been too long!" Fitz said, extending his right arm and smiling at the asshole.

The breath he had been holding in whooshed out and Will tried to cover it with a laugh. He was as safe as a kitten. "It certainly has! How have you been, Fitz?"

Olivia plastered on a huge smile and came to stand beside Will. She put her arm around his waist while her stomach churned when he kissed her on the temple.

Fitz watched the whole scene play out and applauded Olivia for acting natural. He knew she was squirming in her skin having to touch him, but she kept her outward appearance a happy one. "I've been great. I hear you have a big birthday coming up."

Will knew a dig when he heard one and Fitz had just made one at his expense. He knew how to play nice when it was necessary. And since he figured Fitz hadn't told Ollie diddly about his little problem, he could let it go. "That's right. I'll be turning forty-five very soon."

"Actually, that's why Fitz came by. To help with the logistics of your birthday party."

Her husband's head snapped in her direction and his eyebrows fell. "What birthday party?

"It was supposed to be a surprise, but the banquet I'm hosting here in a few weeks is in fact a surprise birthday party for you. I know how you hate surprises, and that's why I'm telling you now."

"Awww, honey. I'm glad you told me about it beforehand. That's so sweet of you to throw me a birthday party." He roughly pulled her into his arms kissed her on the mouth.

Fitz never wanted to kick his ass more than he did in that moment.

Olivia wanted the floor to open up and make her disappear. She wiped her lips and avoided eye contact with Fitz. Somehow, she pulled it together enough to tell Will, "You have to promise to act surprised when the cake comes out."

"Of course, darling. Anything for you." He patted her ass before leaving her side to go fix himself a drink.

She felt unwanted tears forming, and she looked up at Fitz. He wore a determined look and discreetly shook his head back and forth before softening and dropping his gaze to her stomach. That did the trick. Her own determination returned in full force. Her hand went to her belly and she gave a curt nod.

"I've got to get to another meeting, but it was good to see you again, Will. I'll see you both at the party." Fitz said.

Will almost told Fitz he was looking forward to seeing him and Miranda again, but caught himself at the last moment. That would have brought up a thousand questions from Olivia and destroyed the pretense he had going with his fixer of not having seen each other in a while. "Have a good evening, Fitz. Don't let it be so long next time." Yea, that sounded good. He downed his drink and happily poured himself another.


	7. Crossed Wires

**Crossed Wires**

Fitz was pacing restlessly in his office. He had been at it ever since the meeting in the conference room with Huck had ended about a half hour ago. That meeting had taken up a good part of the morning as they discussed where they were on all of their open cases.

Huck explained in detail to Fitz how things had gone with Henry Easterwood. Fitz congratulated him on a job well done and showed him the hefty check that the boy's parents had happily given as payment. It seemed that Henry had been scared on the straight and narrow path after his visit with Huck and had even reached out to the headmaster at the school he had been expelled from and apologized. Huck could be a real scary dude when he wanted to be.

The woman who was allegedly pregnant by Will Swann had been located. Huck had paid her a visit a few days ago. He told her who he was and what he knew, and then he offered her two million dollars and a non-disclosure and all but demanded that she comply with the terms. She had been all too eager to do what was required in order to keep the money. She wasn't interested in becoming a mother and she wasn't interested in being in D.C. anymore either. She thought Will Swann was an asshole.

Once she had completed her part and signed the non-disclosure, she immediately left town. Will was informed that everything had been taken care of, that it had only cost him two million instead of three, and that the woman was gone for good. Both Huck and Fitz hoped it was the last time the First Gentleman ever graced their place of business.

"That just leaves us with one last item to discuss."

"I didn't see anything else on the schedule." Huck said in confusion.

"You actually looked at the schedule?" Fitz was impressed. "Awww."

"Just tell me what it is so we can get on with this day." Huck grumbled.

"We have a new client. The President of the United States."

Huck's eyebrows sunk. "What are we doing for her?"

"We have been asked to look into her husband's past. That should be a piece of cake for an intelligent guy like you." Fitz explained. He was pouring on the praise in hopes that Huck's swollen head would be too full of confidence to put two and two together.

"It is a piece of cake, but why are we helping her? Other than the obvious; that she's the President, that her husband is an asshole, that we both hate him, and that..."

"Hate is a strong word, Huck." Fitz tried. It was a strong word. Fitz needed something much stronger to describe how he felt about William Swann.

"I get it. You and Will are besties. Whatever. It would help if I knew what I was supposed to be looking for." Huck said.

This is where it was bound to get hard to explain. Fitz knew he would have to tread softly. "The president has recently discovered that her husband has been unfaithful to her."

There's a shocker, Huck thought. He knew exactly how she had recently discovered that information. Fitz trying to tiptoe around the issue was comical at best. He silently waited for more information and his marching orders.

"She would like for us to see exactly how far back his extramarital activities go.

"How old is the internet?" Huck joked. When Fitz just stared at him, Huck shrugged. "Tough crowd."

"I'm sure whatever you find out about him will go back a long way. I need every scrap of information you unearth to be irrefutable. The president is going to confront her husband with whatever you find and begin divorce proceedings."

"Wow. It sounds like she's pretty sick of his shit. Good for her." There was no way that Olivia came up with that information or that plan on her own. Huck knew that Fitz must have told her all about her husband's confession and the situation he had gotten himself into. There was no other reason why she suddenly wanted to know about all of his previous dalliances. The timing was just too convenient.

Huck would happily do the work that was asked of him. Hell, he'd enjoy it this time. Huck would do it partly because he loathed William Swann so much and wanted to see him go down. The other part was because Huck knew that Fitz was all the way head over heels in love with Olivia and would do anything to make her happy. Huck wanted Fitz to be happy, and this might just be the way those two crazy kids got their happily ever after started, so he'd do his part. He looked up at Fitz and said, "Fine. But it's gonna cost ya big bucks."

"Shut up, Huck. You get paid more than the Secret Service for the work you do here and it's not life threatening. This is your top priority now. You'll get a rather large bonus if you can come up with everything she needs within a week." Fitz was baiting him. Whatever it took to get Liv away from that idiot as fast as humanly possible.

"Whatever the bonus is, double it and I'll have everything you need by the end of the day tomorrow." Huck said with a smug look.

Damn. Fitz wasn't expecting that. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Done! Where the hell has this work ethic been lately?"

"Shut up. I do what's asked of me on time. It's why you keep me here. I'm a results kinda guy."

"You're a pain in the ass kinda guy too." Fitz shot back as he headed for his own office. He called out over his shoulder, "get busy."

Huck wondered what kind of money he would have gotten if he had told Fitz he already had everything on the First Gentleman? He looked into Will the second Fitz, Will, Miranda, and those creepy Secret Service guys left the office a few weeks ago. Huck didn't need more money. Hate was driving him now, and that's why he'd kept quiet.

Will had been a bad boy. A stupid one too. He'd used cash to pay for the many hotel rooms, which had been smart, but his personal credit card had been used for incidentals at each hotel, making his movements easy to track. Huck also hacked into the bank the credit card company used. The whole thing was child's play to Huck. Maybe that wasn't the right word choice.

His movements were tracked as far back as the campaign trail. And that's where Huck had stopped looking two weeks ago. But now, now he wondered if Olivia's husband had been cheating on her much longer than the campaign trail. He decided to investigate that today and add anything he found to the thick file he already had on Will.

While Huck did whatever the hell it was that Huck did, Fitz paced in his office and thought about Liv. It had been two weeks since their rendezvous in the Oval Office that had turned into the most serious and meaningful conversation Fitz and Olivia had ever had. It had been difficult for him to remain professional and keep his distance from her these last two weeks. Waiting to find out if their time together had resulted in an unplanned pregnancy was the hardest of all, but he kept his distance.

Fitz assumed that Olivia hadn't reached out to him for one of two reasons. Either there was no news to share, or she was busy doing her part to keep up the marital pretenses with her husband as well as running the country and couldn't break away. Still, he hated not being able to talk to her or be around her.

He stopped pacing, looked out his window, and thought back to the first time he had met Olivia. It had been a crisp winter day, much like the one they were having today. Fitz rolled his eyes as he recalled that Will of all people had been there. Cyrus too. But Cy had been the one to do the introductions. Like him or loathe him, he served his purposes.

"Olivia...Will...This is Fitzgerald Grant. He's the best fixer in the game. Fitz, this is William Swann and..."

"Olivia Pope" Fitz stated, and crossed the room to shake her hand. She was even more beautiful in person.

Fitz had seen her for the first time on television the spring before when her home state of Ohio had been hit by a freak blizzard. It had happened in April and as the governor there, she had declared a state of emergency. Olivia had a fantastic television presence. The moment she began to speak Olivia had sucked him in and Fitz remembered feeling compelled to help somehow. He had made a sizeable anonymous donation to help Ohioans affected by the storm. Fitz had kept up with her career ever since. When Cyrus had called him asking if Fitz was interested in running Olivia's presidential campaign, he had accepted with indifference. Now that he was in her presence, Fitz was finding it harder to control his excitement.

He cleared his throat and reigned it in as she took a step closer, craned her head back, and looked him in the eye. Fitz felt no shame in inspecting her just as closely. She was a beautiful woman. Almost distractingly so. That would work to her benefit. Her hair hung bone straight halfway down her back. She would have to get it cut. Three or four inches at least. She would also need some loose waves styled into it. She looked a bit too tightly wound. To connect with the average American, she'd have to loosen up some.

A glance at her feet showed that she was wearing heels. That meant Olivia Pope was a lot shorter than she appeared right now. It could be a problem. Most presidential candidates were...

"I'm short. I know." Her voice broke through his mental summation of her physical appearance. She had to say something to break up the heat she was feeling from his quiet yet intense inspection of her. Olivia was thankful for his careful scrutiny of her outer self. It meant he was much too preoccupied to notice that she was getting a delicious eyeful of him.

He was tall. Easily over the six foot mark. He had a head full of healthy looking well tamed curls that made her fingers itch to touch them. He was tan, and Olivia knew he came from the warm and sunny state of California and that he liked being outdoors a lot. She had done her research on him too.

His eyes were blue. Not just any shade of blue either. They were gray blue. Fitz's eyes were inquisitive, calming, and confident, with a touch of playfulness in them all at the same time. Olivia wondered how so much depth could be conveyed by someone's eyes. He had a great smile too. The kind that didn't make it feel like he was looking down at you. It was very affectionate. He had beautiful straight white teeth, and Olivia figured that was part of the reason he frequently smiled.

Fitz's head snapped up from her well toned legs to her beautiful face. He never missed a beat, even though he felt like she had just read his mind somehow and stated the obvious. "You are. It could be a problem, so we'll focus on your media presence to begin with. It's strong enough to take the focus off your height. Once that's accomplished, no one will care where you fall on a height chart."

Olivia arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow at him. "Well, that's a relief. How could you possibly know anything about my media presence?"

Shit. He walked right into that one. Now he had to get himself out of it. He went with the truth and explained it to her calmly, even though he wanted to fidget under her quizzical stare. "I caught your television announcement last spring about the blizzard."

"Oh? Were you in our fair state for business or pleasure?" she asked. He wasn't the only one who could make a person feel fidgety.

He couldn't help the smile that covered his face. Fitz wondered what her expression would be like if he answered with pleasure. The curiosity was strong enough that the word was on the tip of his tongue, much like he imagined it being on parts of her body. At the last second, however, he said, "business." But he added, "I'd love to enjoy the sights there from strictly a tourist point of view one day. It seems like a fun place."

Olivia was a little relieved at his admission of being in Ohio for work. She pretended she didn't know why and tried to keep up with the conversation. "It definitely is. Maybe I'll be able to show you around once I'm elected President? Doesn't the new leader get to gloat in his or her home state?"

"Confident. I like that." Fitz stated. And fun, sexy, and a powerful presence. "When I get you into that White House, I'll hold you to that tour."

Will had been sitting there watching their interaction. He was tired of sitting on the sidelines. Stepping beside his wife, Will put his hand on her shoulder and asked, "so, you're really going to try to get Ollie elected president?"

Fitz smiled politely and tried not to cringe at the ridiculous nickname for Olivia. He didn't know her. Not really. But Fitz could tell she wasn't a fan of the pet name either. He'd seen her shift ever so slightly away from her husband when it was mentioned. He begrudgingly dragged his eyes from the enchanting woman standing in front of him to her sad excuse for the other half. Extending his right arm, Fitz simply replied. "I am. Good to meet you, Mr. Swann."

"Call me Will. Everyone does." he told Fitz.

"Alright, Will." The two of them firmly shook hands and pretended not to size the other one up.

The four of them spent the next few hours discussing the early plans to kick off Olivia's campaign. They talked about everything from where she would make her announcement to publicly run for president to the states she needed to focus more heavily on for votes, and everything in between.

Before long they had a decent early itinerary hammered out. Fitz learned quickly how to read his candidate's body language and what her sounds meant. She sighed when he mentioned the changes that needed to be made to her hair. Fitz could tell that she wasn't really a fan of changing her appearance. She seemed to understand that it was for the greater good, even if she didn't like it.

Fitz smiled from where he stood as thoughts of that first meeting with Olivia came to mind. She hadn't changed from that initial meeting. She had taken his advice about her hair and the public speaking, but Olivia as a person hadn't changed. She was still the strong, independent, fiercely loving people person that she had been back then.

Back on the campaign trail, Olivia stayed in simple hotel rooms. Nothing fancy or elaborate. No penthouse suites while she was campaigning. She wanted to be seen as a regular person. Fitz knew she and Will had the money to stay anywhere they wanted to, so he respected her decision to keep it simple. Of course, a regular hotel room made for tight working conditions for she and her team. It had been a challenge in the beginning, but turned out to be the perfect way for her and Fitz to end a long day of giving speeches and meeting the locals in whatever town they found themselves in. Lying in each other's arms and discussing everything or nothing had been bliss.

He recalled the night it all started between them.

"Liv?" Fitz had poked his head into her hotel room as he had done dozens of times before. She looked up at him, sending him a smile and he felt invincible. He stepped into the room and the door closed behind him.

"Yea?"

"Will's plane just left the airport for Florida. He'll be there for the next two days stumping on your behalf. From there he's heading to Alabama to speak at a public event." Fitz told her. It was six o'clock and the two of them still had a lot of work to do. It was going to be a late night.

"He was super anxious to get going. I didn't know he cared so much about politics, but he's turning into a real asset to the team." Olivia picked up a stack of papers and set them on the small round table in her room. She hoped her voice sounded chipper. She was feeling anything but right now. She and Will had had a big fight before he left their hotel room for the airport. She wanted to talk about the two of them having a baby. He had put her off again, and Olivia didn't think Will realized how much it hurt every time he did that.

Olivia looked at Fitz and wondered what his stance was on having babies of his own. God, she wondered what the practicing would be like with him. She would bet that his large eager hands could have her trembling in no time at all. She just knew that his mouth, as skilled as it was with words, was even more skilled on a naked female body. It wasn't like she hadn't pictured it a thousand times already. She needed to stop thinking like this.

Fitz wondered in what realm was William Swann an asset. He was an idiot with a big mouth who was constantly shooting it off to whoever would listen. Truth be told, Fitz was glad Olivia's husband had left. They could get a lot more accomplished with the team of volunteers and staffers without him constantly interrupting.

Of course, having Will gone also meant that the buffer between him and Liv was gone too. He'd have to be a lot more careful when he was alone with her like this. It was all too easy for him to slide into a personal conversation with her from a strictly professional one. She was so easy to talk to and be around, that Fitz made up reasons to ask her opinion on mundane things. Just so he could breathe in her perfume or stare at her perfect little body that he would love to get his hands on.

"What do you want to do about dinner?"

He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't hear Olivia talking to him.

"Fitz? Fiiiiiiiiiiitz?" she called out.

"I'm sorry, what?" He looked at her.

She smiled at him. He was preoccupied with something on his mind. This fixer always had something on his mind. She supposed it was usually her and the campaign, but every so often she wished he would think of her in another way altogether. Like the way she sometimes found herself thinking of him. It was difficult not to think of him the way she did after the two of them spent every day in close proximity to each other. She looked at his hands and wondered what they would feel like on her skin. She wondered what his lips tasted like. What his...

"Liv?" Fitz said gently. It seemed they were both taking turns checking out of the conversation.

What the hell had she just asked him, Olivia wondered to herself. Dinner! In a confident voice, she said, "I asked what your thoughts were concerning dinner? Do you have any ideas?"

"I'll eat anything." He shouldn't have said that. It sounded sexual to his own ears. She probably wished he had left the state instead of her husband. "Truth be told, I could eat a steak."

"This is where I tell you I'll have a salad while I miserably sit here and watch you consume my favorite part of a cow." She pointed a finger sternly in his direction. "If that gets back to PETA, I will firmly deny it!"

"It's good to have leverage on my candidate." Fitz said grinning down at her.

"To hell with being proper, a steak for dinner sounds heavenly!" She said, returning the grin.

"Salads are for rabbits."

"You sure know how to make a girl feel good." She bit the inside of her cheek. That sounded like a sexual harassment case waiting to happen. She was an idiot.

"I don't have time for girls."

"Oh...I didn't mean...I'm sorry." Olivia started, clearly flustered. "I didn't know that you..."

"Women are a different story." He clenched his jaw, took another step closer, and stared down at her. "Lately, there's only one woman I go out of my way to make time for."

Was she sweating? It sure did get hot in here suddenly! Olivia looked up into his blue eyes, searching for the butt of the joke or an explanation. His mother was in town, or his aunt had asked him to come visit. Anything like that. Fitz said nothing. He just kept looking down at her intently.

Holy fuck! How did he make that sentence seem so sexy and full of sexual innuendos? She wanted him more than anything in the world. What was she supposed to say in reply to that? There wasn't anything! Instead, she smiled at him and grabbed a random piece of paper, saying, "I've got to get copies of this made so that everyone has it in the morning meeting."

Fitz answered on auto pilot, but his thoughts were still on her body. "I'll order the food to be brought up and let you know when it's here."

"Thanks" she replied and watched him walk through the door that adjoined their rooms. When it closed behind him, she sank back against the wall with a loud sigh. Looking down at the paper she held, Olivia saw that it was the menu for the Chinese place they had eaten for lunch. She had to get herself together!

Dinner was delivered to Fitz's room, and once it was set up, he tipped the young man and knocked on the adjoining door between his room and Olivia's. He got no answer, so he knocked again, and called out, "Liiiiv?"

Still no answer. Not wanting to catch her in a compromising position, he went to the phone in his room and called her room. She answered on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Liv? Hey. I was knocking on the adjoining door but got no answer. I was getting worried. Are you okay?"

Was she okay? Olivia thought about that for a moment. She was, but she wasn't. Before she lost her nerve, she heard herself say, "come on over."

"But the food is..."

"Just come to my room, Fitz." She hung up the phone and stared at it. What the hell had she just done? He was going to think she had lost her mind when he opened the door. Maybe she had. She took in a shaky breath and let it out as a knock sounded and Fitz opened the door.

"I was just..." The rest of the sentence died on his lips. Olivia stood there, in the middle of her room, wearing nothing but a very sheer light pink silky nightie. His eyes slowly traveled up her body. He could see her painted toenails, her perfectly toned legs, her flat stomach, and her dark nipples underneath the thin material. His eyes roamed back down. She was gorgeous.

Shit! He shouldn't be looking at her like that! He turned around quickly but committed to memory everything he had just seen.

She was gorgeous. And married. And running for president. And a client. And completely off limits.

"Uhhh, I'm sorry. I think we got our wires crossed on the phone. I should have waited until you..."

Olivia went to stand boldly in front of him and put her finger against his lips. "Don't be sorry. I'm not." She got up on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. God, he smelled good. Like man and musk and sex. Just like he did every day.

After a moment, she realized that he wasn't kissing her back. He wasn't even touching her. Falling flat on her feet again, she looked up at him and said, "this isn't an accident. I...planned this."

"You did? Why?" he asked.

"I've been thinking about you in ways I know that I shouldn't. But I can't help it either. Those thoughts are always in my head and I'm tired of fighting them. It's a constant battle, and I'm at the point where I don't want to fight it anymore."

"B...But we can't! You're running for president! All it takes is for one person to see us or hear us or suspect they heard or saw something. And your career would be over before it really got going. You have a real shot at becoming president, Olivia. It's not worth ruining for a one night stand. You are destined to be an amazing president."

She arched one eyebrow at him. "I'm GOING to become the next president. I have no doubts, and neither should you. This...thing between us isn't going to go away. It's going to become stronger and the pull towards you will become stronger too. I can't help it, and neither can you. I just...Hell with it. I'm not going to say that I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't say these things out loud, but I want you. And I think deep down you want..."

Fitz pulled her into his arms and ravished her mouth. He should have been sweet and tender with her, but he didn't think she wanted that from him. Not tonight. She had laid out her emotions open and raw for him to see. He assumed she wanted raw passion as well. So, he gave it to her. He lifted her up and her legs wrapped around his waist possessively.

All thoughts of how wrong it was being pressed intimately against a presidential candidate and client evaporated from his mind for now. Fitz concentrated on her and meeting her needs from purely a male point of view.

He carried her to the sofa in her room and sat down with her straddling his lap. He pulled away from her mouth long enough to say, "if you want to stop at any point, just tell me and we'll stop."

"Stop talking and take off your shirt." she ordered and fused her lips to his once again.

Fitz took his hands off her and leaned back on the sofa. If she wanted his shirt off, she could do it herself. Olivia picked up on his cues and leaned back in his lap. She pulled his white dress shirt from the waist of his black dress pants and began unbuttoning it. When she had it open, she slowly pushed it off his shoulders and put her splayed fingers on his chest. "I caught you running in the hotel gym the other day. Your shirt was wet and clinging to your chest as you ran on the treadmill. I was on my way to get breakfast in the lobby but immediately became hungry for you as I watched. The longer I stayed, the harder it was for me to leave."

"You like to watch? Is that what you're saying?" Fitz asked in a challenging voice. He set her down on the sofa and got to his feet.

"No. I...That's not what I meant. I just...Come sit back down." She grabbed at him, but Fitz evaded her.

"I don't think so. You like to watch, so I'll give you something to look at." Keeping his eyes on Olivia, Fitz shrugged out of the blue dress shirt that was hanging off his shoulders. He stood there bare chested and saw her lust filled eyes take it all in. Reaching for his belt, he quickly unbuckled it, and then unzipped his pants and let them fall to the floor.

Olivia's eyes followed his pants and then quickly darted back up to his crotch. She bit her lip and bored her eyes intently into his. She needed to get some of this tension out of her body. Now! An idea popped into her head and she went with it. Gripping the shoulder strap of her nightie between her index and middle fingers, Olivia slid the thin material down over her shoulder until her breast was fully displayed. Fitz was now the watcher, and his two blue eyes became laser focused on her as she began to massage the soft skin with a stiff bud.

Her other hand slid down her side, over her hip, and around to her center. Just as she was about to begin a sensual massage there, Fitz dove to his knees in front of her. He gripped the thin pink material and quickly shoved it out of the way before his tongue began to flick repeatedly over her soft pink center. Fitz whipped her body up to almost hit its peak and then slowed things down, only to do it all over again. Olivia was begging for him to keep going when he started building her up again. Just as she was teetering on the brink of insanity, she grabbed the back of his head and held him in place until his mouth drove her into sweet hysteria. She cried out loudly and panted heavily through parched lips. "Oh, Oh, Oh god...so good! I want more!"

He shut out the part of his brain that screamed, "I can't believe that you are going to fuck this up! You're an idiot!"

When he was as naked as the day he was born, he went to Olivia and possessively picked her up in his arms as if he had done it thousands of times before. He went to her bed and laid her down on it. Grabbing her ankles and holding them up in the air, he thrust his hips quickly, burying himself deep inside of her.

Olivia screamed and covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the sound. He was huge and felt heavenly inside of her. While he took a moment to adjust to their joining, she took a breath and began to settle herself. She had just exhaled when Fitz began to hammer in and out of her repeatedly. She couldn't even complain because it felt so damn good. She grabbed the sheet and held on held on for dear life as her fixer worked her body in the most delicious way, just like she knew he could.

He brought her to orgasm twice more before he followed after her and fell face down on top of the bed. It was a thousand degrees in her hotel room, and he needed air. He didn't see himself moving anytime soon, but once he got himself together Fitz knew he should get dressed and leave. He sighed loudly and started to get to his feet.

"Where do you think you're going?" Olivia asked.

"To my room. I assumed you'd want some time to yourself. I can bring your dinner over here."

"I'm not done with you yet, Mr. Grant. I'm not sure what gave you the idea that I was?"

His eyebrows rose high on his forehead. She was trying to kill him. He was sure of it. If this was how he went out, Fitz considered himself a lucky man. He picked her up, flung her over his shoulder, and slapped her ass as she giggled. "Round two is in the shower."


	8. Birthday Party

**Birthday Party**

They were in the residence, putting on the finishing touches in order to make their grand entrance to Will's birthday bash. Olivia was putting on her earrings while her husband was looking at himself in the mirror to make sure the bowtie on his tuxedo was straight.

"We need to talk, Will." Olivia said in a gentle tone.

"Now right now, Ollie. We're about to leave for the party. Can't it wait til morning?" He wasn't even looking at her. He certainly didn't want to have a conversation with her. He'd much rather go down to the party and see what kind of excitement the birthday boy could get into.

"It really can't. And please, don't call me Ollie. You know that I loathe that horrendous nickname."

"I had no idea you didn't like it. You've never said anything about it before." Will pointed out.

"The fact that I outwardly cringe every time you say it should have been an indicator."

"Fine, fine. Why don't you tell me what this is all about so we can skim over it and go to the party."

"We're not skimming over anything. We aren't due to arrive for another forty five minutes. There's plenty of time for us to talk."

"Don't forget that it will take us a little longer to get there since the location got changed at the last damn minute." he reminded her impatiently. "What the hell is it that's so important it can't wait until morning?"

"I'm well aware of the location of the birthday party I've been planning for months for you. I'm also well aware about your past."

"My past? What? Why in the hell are you bringing that up right now?" He sputtered. "Of course you know about it. I told you all about my past before we got married."

"Not that version." Olivia answered patiently.

"What are you talking about then? Olivia!" Fear was trying to claw its way up his spine and insert itself into Will's mind. There was no way Olivia knew anything. He had done too good of a job at hiding it. Hell, it had cost him big money to hide it.

"The version where you sleep with any female who gives you the time of day."

Will's hands faltered on his tie and he felt his heartbeat begin to quicken. He had to act unfazed by her words. In a confused tone he said, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Olivia felt a huge amount of satisfaction at seeing her husband squirm. She knew that mentally, Will was trying to come up with imaginary rocks to put into the holes she had just torn away from his facade, and that inside he was sweating. "I'm talking about the version that goes wayyyyy back. As far back as seven months into our marriage where you just couldn't seem to keep your hands to yourself."

She picked up a neatly typed piece of paper from the dresser and faced Will. "First there was Courtney. The two of you started screwing not long after we said I do to each other. Less than a year in fact. You kept seeing her for over six months. She must really know her way around a man. There was lots of information on that one. The two of you shared a love for alcohol, keeping it real, and her dog. Which I found amusing since you're supposed to be allergic to dogs. Yet another interesting thing I learned about you through this little journey, darling."

"Olivia..." Will tried. How in the hell had she found out about Courtney? That one had been tucked up nice and safe in California years ago and threatened into silence with very little money.

"Shut up, Will. I'm not done with you yet." Olivia said with a smile. "The next woman I found was a lot harder to track. In fact, my people didn't even find her real first name. Just an alias. Vanellope from Virginia. So strange. But you certainly do have a penchant for getting some strange don't you Will. Still, it was dumb as hell to pay with your credit card. You know, the one I had no idea that you even had. Surprise! I know all about it now!"

Will felt as if his life and the lies he had built around it were beginning to unravel. He wondered how in the hell his wife had found the time to dig up all sorts of old dirt on him and the women he had surrounded himself with over the years.

"Now Casey was an interesting woman. I'll give you that. She appeared to be on the young side, even for you, honey. But on the flipside, and I know how you love the flip side," Olivia winked lustily at him. "She was in school. It was awfully handy having her in the Hilton less than a mile from that school. Room nine sixteen every other Tuesday. Just like clockwork. Maybe you thought she'd take care of you when you're older. But you're old enough to be her father, Will. That's disgusting!"

"That was a momentary lapse in..."

"I don't want to hear your excuses. And I'm still not done with you. Not even close. Somewhere around our fifth anniversary there was Bobbi with an i. How cute is that?" Olivia crinkled her nose at him. "Our Bobbi with an i loves to be on her phone. In fact, the two of you had some long sexy conversations over the phone when you weren't able to be together in person. Marriage must have been such a downer for your sex life, huh? Damn wife always getting in the way of your fun. Bobbi with an i was another woman you kept around longer than most. The two of you kept at it for closer to a year. That's determination. It's too damn bad you couldn't apply that to our marriage instead!"

"Please, Olivia." Will begged.

"And then there was Pem." Olivia squinted at the paper. "Was that her real name or was it an alias like good old Vanellope? To each their own, right? Pem was certainly a fun girl. Very outspoken and opinionated. I'll bet you had to come up with creative ways to keep her quiet, didn't you Will? But when you took her to the hotel that your old college buddy owned, she didn't have to be kept quiet, huh? You make me sick."

Will wiped the sweat from his forehead and wondered how he could get her to stop this nonsense.

"Jay was the amazing writer. I wonder if she ever wrote anything about you over the years? She could have done a collaboration with the walls of the Best Western you took her to. If those walls could talk! That would be something wouldn't it? She could borrow one of your other play toys aliases for a pen name. Now that would be some wild shit!" Olivia said laughing. "Anyways, you only kept her around for six weeks. What happened there? You know what? I don't care."

"Now Denise is someone I didn't see falling for you. For starters, she's closer to your age than the others. You must have been needing to cleanse your sexual palate. Maybe you were sick of the younger women and wanted someone more experienced. The problem with being with a woman your own age is they don't put up with your shit for long. They don't think you're God's gift to the Earth and they really don't appreciate being lied to. That must be why Denise keyed your car. The hotel security guard kept the video of that from last year just for laughs on slow nights. I thought you might want to know."

"Olivia, I'm..."

She pointed her finger at him and raised her voice. "Don't you dare tell me your sorry. You're not sorry for doing it. You're sorry you got caught. There is a difference, and I'm old enough to know it. It must have been terribly frustrating to have to teach a new dog how to stop acting like a trick. But then again, you did pay them all very well. Silence is expensive isn't it, Will?"

He smiled down at her. "I wasn't going to tell you that I'm sorry, because I'm not sorry. Not in the least. The truth is our marriage was boring as hell. You were busy trying to make a name for yourself in the political world, and there's nothing wrong with that. But you left me behind like the trash."

"You are trash!" Olivia declared.

"Honey, I might be trash, but my money spends just like everyone else's. And I still have a lot of it to spend on whomever I want, however I want, whenever I want."

"I am your wife! I wanted to share a life and children with you!" she screamed at him.

"Are we really gonna talk about having kids again? I don't know why you can't take a hint, darlin'. I don't want kids. Ever!"

"Is that why you paid two million dollars to get rid of one just recently?" Do not cry, she chanted to herself.

"That's exactly why. And it's not the first time I've done it either. No siree!"

She was taken aback by his cruel admission. "What? But how could you do that? So flippantly? Without a care in the world?"

"Because I don't care. I don't want kids and whatever it takes to make sure that never happens is what I'm willing to do."

"But you knew that I wanted children before we even got married. If you had just admitted to me that you didn't want them, I would have let you pursue a life without me. We could have saved each other a lot of unnecessary heartache and pain."

Will tapped her on the nose and watched her angrily swat his hand away. "Every marriage has heartache and pain. It's just life. You and I will work through this and be just fine."

She stared incredulously at him. "We aren't going to work through this. And we haven't been just fine for a very long time. It just took me a while to realize it."

"All this fuss over not having kids? Come on now Olivia. Lots of couples don't have children. We can drum up a miscarriage and leak it to the press to show that we are trying to have a baby. But that ain't never gonna happen."

"Who are you right now?" Olivia asked. "I really thought I knew you all this time, but you are like a stranger to me. This isn't just about the two of us not having kids. It goes a lot deeper than that. You have had numerous affairs for a very long time. You've done damage to our marriage that we will never come back from. I want you gone, and I want a divorce."

"Well, there's what you want and what you're gonna get." he replied smugly.

"Will, I'm not kidding. You are going to leave the White House and we are most certainly getting a divorce. I know it will take some time for it to happen, but by the time spring is over our marriage will be too."

"Being married to you was the right choice for me."

"Because I was stupid about your infidelities."

"That's a fact. But I wouldn't have become the first ever First Gentleman if I hadn't married you. I'm not ready to let go of that title, so I won't be leaving the White House until your term is up. You and I are not getting divorced until you are no longer the president either. So, let go of all those thoughts. Now, we have a party to get to." He put his hand on her back to guide her out of the room, but Olivia jerked her elbow back and stepped away from him.

"Don't you ever touch me again!" she demanded. "You and I are over! Until the papers are drawn up, you can stay in the residence and I'll take one of the other bedrooms. We can eat breakfast together and go our separate ways from there each morning. There may be a few events that will require your presence, but I'll let you know well in advance about them. Other than that, I don't want anything to do with you. When the divorce is finalized, we will part amicably."

"Tell me, Olivia. Where did you get your information from about all of those women and where we spent our time together? Your list was very detailed. You left out a few by the way, but what you presented me with was solid. So solid, that it makes me wonder who did your digging for you?" He had a pretty good idea where everything came from, but he wanted to see if she would admit it.

She felt physically ill. This asshole had the audacity to admit that she had left out a few names of women he had had sex with over the course of their marriage! She was anything but stupid. "Are you talking about Felicia, Vanessa, Renae, and Sharon? I didn't forget them. I just didn't have the energy you obviously have had over the past eight years. And for your information, it doesn't matter who did my digging for..."

Will went back to looking at himself in the mirror. "I'm guessing it was that computer genius Fitz has over at his place. He's very good at his job. Very thorough too. This seems like something he'd be happy to be all over. That boy was giving me death glares the entire time I was spilling my guts to Fitz about accidentally getting that little gal pregnant."

"His name is Huck. And he's in a very long line of people who enjoy giving you death glares these days." She shot him one of her own.

"I don't give a damn what his name is darlin'. But I do care about keeping my wagon hitched to yours. At least until you are of no more use to me politically. When your presidency is over, I'll gladly leave you."

"We've been over this, Will. I'm not going to..."

"Just hear me out." He turned around to face her and then stalked across the room to stand right in front of her. "here's what's going to happen. You and I are going to get in a car and go to my surprise birthday party and have ourselves a good time. Hell, I'll even dance with you once or twice. For show of course. And then life as we know it will continue to go on just as it has for the past eight years." He leaned closer to her and in an evil voice added, "nothing will change because if I so much as hear the word divorce from your lips ever again, you will become a laughingstock. I will go to the press and tell them all about how you've been cheating on me with your fixer."

Olivia tried to keep her face calm, but her eyes went wide in shock at the thought of Will doing what he just threatened. She would be ruined. Politically and personally. She would become known for exactly what she was trying to get rid of Will for doing. Her name, along with Fitz's, would be brought up every time a female candidate ran for the office of president.

"Huh. That was just a guess, darlin'. I'm kinda shocked that it was a good one. I've had my suspicions about the two of you for a while now, but I could never prove it. Cyrus has his own suspicions too, just so you know. I hope you're a better lover to Fitz than you were to me. Laying on your back isn't very imaginative in the bedroom. At least now you know why I strayed."

"You son of a bitch!" Olivia yelled. "What the hell do you want from me?"

"Easy. You stay married to me and I won't say anything about exactly what Mr. Grant fixes for you. If you go shooting your mouth off, his name will be destroyed right along with yours. And I'll sit back and roast marshmallows over the flames."

"You wouldn't dare!" She spat at him.

He leaned closer and got right in her face. "Do you really wanna try me on something this big and important? You so much as whisper the word divorce to anyone and I find out about it, and you'll see just how mean I can be."

"I'm well aware of how big of a bastard you can be."

He grinned at Olivia to show her that her words didn't bother him one bit. "Like you said earlier, we'll start our days off together so the press or the staff or whoever the hell else is watching, doesn't suspect that we are married for show only and then you go your way and I'll go mine."

She suddenly felt exhausted. Arguing with him always made her feel that way. She and Fitz had come up with a perfect plan to get rid of Will and get divorce proceedings underway. She'd had a plan to get rid of him, but he had quite neatly put her in her place and turned everything around to his own advantage. Had that really been a guess about she and Fitz? How had it all gone so wrong? The thought of being his wife for a moment longer than absolutely necessary was too much, but the thought of Will destroying Fitz's reputation was not something she was willing to gamble with. She hated Will more than she had ever loved him. "Fine" she wearily replied.

"By the way Fitz has someone on the side. A woman named Miranda. Just letting you know that you have some competition, honey." It was petty but he enjoyed that little stab into her heart. She should know that she hadn't chosen a very loyal lover in Fitzgerald Grant. The fact that he got to tell her was delicious icing on this particular cake.

"I'll have to find a moment to deal with that tonight too." Olivia sighed loudly and shook her head back and forth. She didn't want to drag this whole thing out with him, but Will had left her no other choice.

A little over a half hour later, someone announced Olivia and Will a moment before they walked into the party. She looped her arm through his, plastered on a huge fake smile, and walked into a room full of applauding people. They stopped talk to a few attendees and made their way to the head table. Will pulled her chair out like a perfect gentleman and kissed her cheek before she took her seat as everyone watched. To anyone watching them, they were a happily married couple.

Olivia scanned the room, searching for the one face she could always pick out from a crowd. The one person who could settle her like no one else could. She spotted him at a table not too far away. He was sitting beside a gorgeous leggy brunette and laughing at something she was saying. The rich sound of his delightful laugh echoed through her ears and she found herself smiling even though she had no way of knowing what had been said that was so funny.

The woman Fitz was with was nothing short of breathtaking. She had miles of beautiful brown hair that loosely flowed down over her shoulders. Her make-up looked like it had been applied by a professional. Her dress was floor length and rich emerald in color and it looked stunning against her flawless skin. It would have been easy for her to give in to the sadness she was feeling and have herself a little pity party. But the words he had told her recently spoke to her soul and comforted her like they always did. She was the only woman for him. She had nothing to worry about.

He looked very handsome in his tuxedo and she admired how elegant he looked. She saw him catch her eye and everything else just dropped into nothingness. It was just the two of them in the large room enjoying a moment together. Olivia sent him a smile and watched him send one back.

She needed to be around him. Sometime before the birthday song started, she'd ask Tom to have Fitz meet her on the balcony at the back of the building. No one would be able to see them out there together. By then she'd be needing some fresh air anyways.

Cocktails were flowing freely, and Will was doing his best to keep up with where the servers with flutes on trays were at all times. His hand was never empty, and neither was his glass. He made small talk with a lot of people as he moved throughout the large ball room. His hand "accidentally" grazed several asses of females as he went by too. It was his birthday and Will considered it a gift of sorts. People picked out their own birthday gifts all the time. What was the difference?

He found Miranda standing alone in a corner of the room and grinned at the perfection of the situation. He sauntered over in her direction. His eyes scanned the room to see if Olivia was sitting in judgement somewhere watching him have the audacity to enjoy his party. He didn't see her anywhere. Shrugging, his feet picked up the pace a little before some asshole caught the long legged beauty in a boring and lengthy conversation. He just needed a little patience. He'd steal her away from the windbag in a minute or two.

Meanwhile, Tom tapped Mr. Grant on the shoulder and gave him the 'follow me' motion with his hand. Fitz was well versed in what this meant. Olivia needed him for something. He wondered how she was holding up? He wondered if she was handling things okay? He wondered if she was pregnant? He needed to have a moment alone with her. There were a million questions swirling around in his head that needed answers. He had missed her so much over the past few weeks.

Tom led the way down a long winding hall, much like one inside the White House. After several turns, the carpeting stopped at a door. Fitz looked at Tom for guidance. "The president will be out there in just a moment."

Fitz grasped the doorknob and turned it slowly. He found himself outside on a balcony he didn't even know the building had. The early March air was still chilly in the early mornings and in the evenings, and this evening was no different. He slid his hands into the pockets of his dress pants and went to the white railing. Leaning over it he took in the sights of the city. It was only seven thirty, but it was already dark outside and the multicolored lights from the many buildings and cars twinkled brightly against the dark background.

"See anything you like?" a husky voice hind him asked.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention upon hearing her voice. He turned around slowly and his eyes automatically drank in the sight of her. Her hair was neatly pulled up on top of her head in a bun. Her dress was sexy as hell. Olivia was a vision in the black lace off the shoulder number she was wearing. As his eyes traveled down even further, he smiled as he noticed her signature sky high heels. She had on very little jewelry; just earrings and a bracelet, but the simplicity of it was jaw dropping. His eyes traveled back up to meet hers and he gave her a hungry look. "I do now" his deep rich voice rumbled.

She smiled at him. As fun as it was to flirt with him, Olivia had missed him. It had been a long two weeks without a Fitz fix. She glided to him and a secret thrill shot through her when his hand immediately went to her waist. "I've missed you."

"Have you now?" he asked. Desire filled him as he possessively pulled her closer. "It just so happens that I have missed you too."

"Really?" she asked giddily.

"Really." He assured her. "The last fourteen days have been hell. I think I caught Huck looking for jobs on the internet at one point."

Olivia laughed and covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm sure he was just paying you back for giving him a hard time lately."

He had missed her laugh. That magical sound that made the world seem a little more bearable. Like it did right now. He found himself laughing with her.

Fitz saw her shiver and he began to unbutton his tuxedo jacket. As hot as she looked, Fitz knew with those bare shoulders, Olivia was bound to be chilly.

"I don't need the jacket. Thank you though."

He touched her skin. It was cold just like he knew it would be. "You're going to get sick, Liv. Please put it..."

"No." She turned towards him and looked up into his sparkling blue eyes. "I don't want the jacket. Hold me instead. Please?"

That wasn't even a question that required an answer. He gathered her into his arms and held her close. A moment later, they started to move. Just slightly at first. But then Fitz took her small cold hand in his larger warm one and pulled them both to his chest. She smelled as divine as she looked, and Fitz closed his eyes and savored the moment with her. He knew they would have to keep their meetings few and far between until things between her and Will had begun. So, he made sure he memorized this moment.

"I'll always hold you, Liv. Are you getting warmer?" He really didn't want her to end up sick.

She let go of his hand and slid both of her arms around his neck. "I am. That was nice, but this is so much better. Don't you agree?"

His only reply was a throaty, "mmmm" before he leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss that was supposed to stay tame. It very quickly turned anything but, and he breathlessly pulled away from her knowing things between them couldn't go any further. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started something we can't possibly finish."

"That's a good point. There's also the fact that you have someone on the side." Olivia told him plainly.

He stopped moving and exclaimed, "what?!"

"I'm sorry. I know Miranda is just your plus one for the evening. I was just repeating what Will had told me before we arrived at the party." she explained.

"Will is an asshole who likes to get a rise out of people. I'm sorry he made that comment to you. I hope you understand that she is..."

She put her hand on his chest. "Yes. I do."

"I'm guessing you confronted him tonight?"

"I did. In hindsight it might not have been the best timing, but what's done is done."

"And what other words of wisdom did he have to share with you?" Fitz asked with an eyeroll.

"For starters, when I laid out chapter and verse about his past with the who and where, his comeback was that I had left a few out."

"What?" he said with shock.

"When I told him that I wanted a divorce, he said he wasn't done being First Gentleman and no thanks."

"What?" he repeated.

"Fitz, please stop saying what."

"I'm sorry. I just...can't believe that he said those things to you. The guy's got some seriously big balls. What else did he say?"

"That he knows about you and I and if I move forward with a divorce, or go public with what I know about him, he will tell the press about us."

Fitz stepped away from Olivia and began to pace and rant. "That little fucker! I will kick the ever living shit out of him! You know what will happen, don't you?" He pointed a finger at her. "If Will goes public about you and me then your presidency will be over. Your name will forever be linked to a scandal. The next time a woman..."

"Runs for office both of our names will be mentioned unpleasantly. I know, Fitz."

"That cannot happen!"

"Do you have a plan?" she asked.

Tom came through the door "I'm sorry, Ms. Pope but Hal tells me that they are about to bring out the cake. You have to go downstairs and lead everyone in the birthday song as it's wheeled out. You're supposed to say few words as well."

Fitz looked at Olivia and watched her turn her head towards him. "We will discuss this more after the birthday formalities are over." she told him.

He went to where she stood and once again held her hand. "That'll be fine. And this will too. We'll come up with something. I promise. He is not staying married to you." Fitz leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Tom had known about the two of them for quite some time, but it was still slightly awkward with him being right there.

"After the cake is cut and I give him a gift there will be a lot of hands to shake. Well meet up here in about an hour." she explained.

"Do what you have to do. I understand."

Fitz watched Tom open the door for Liv and the two of them go through the door to head back to the party. He'd wait ten minutes and then wander back himself. Sighing loudly, he turned back towards the blinking lights of the city. It really was a beautiful sight. It was quiet out here too.

Damn it! Fitz turned to look at the closed door Olivia had left through. He had forgotten to ask her if she knew whether or not she was pregnant yet. He'd ask her when they met up later on. His thoughts automatically went back to the moment she told him about their baby she daydreamed about. Sitting beside Liv in a hospital holding a sleeping newborn that was a perfect combination of the two of them would be heaven. The proud smile on his face was there before he even realized it.

Of course, that could present some problems too. But both he and Will had blue eyes, and were tall, and had sandy brown hair. The American public would naturally assume that the baby was her husband's when they saw a baby that looked kind of like him. Fitz knew he could easily spin that in Liv's favor. He found himself beginning to wish that Olivia was pregnant with his child. He was smiling to himself imagining what life would be like with a newborn. The endless diapers and late night feedings as well as all the typical first moments. Before any of that could happen, they had to get rid of Will. But how could they do that and keep him from running his damned mouth to the press?

As he stood there trying to come up with a plan B that would work, a loud noise pierced through his peace and quiet. Fitz turned his head and listened intently. He heard the faint sound of screaming and then the loud sound echoed again. Before he even realized what he was doing, Fitz was jerking the door open and running back toward the party. He had one thought on his mind, and one thought alone.

He had to get to Olivia before whoever the hell was shooting found her.


	9. Fallout

**Fallout**

The winding hall that had led him outside seemed to go on forever! Fitz didn't remember it being so long when Tom had led him from the opposite direction. He ran as fast as he could, trying to get to Liv. He had heard more sounds of gunfire, but this time it was several loud shots at once. Imagining the shooter or shooters pointing their guns into the crowd and shooting randomly made his stomach churn. It also turned his thoughts to Olivia's stomach and the person who might be living in there.

He ran faster.

Before he came to the open room of the ballroom, Fitz was met with dozens of people running wildly. They were trying to exit quickly and keep themselves safe. It was akin to a herd of wild animals. He noticed that they were looking over their shoulders every so often to see where the threat was and if it was close to them. They were pushing against him and giving him crazed looks for trying to head in the direction of the danger.

He was not about to turn around and follow the crowd. Fitz pushed against them like a fish swimming against the current, making little headway. But he was making headway and that kept him going. "Get out of the way!" he yelled at them. It didn't help.

The replies he got were, "are you crazy?" "There's a shooter in there!" "RUN!" "He's going to kill us all!"

He didn't care what was going on in the next room, Fitz had to get to Liv. He knew she'd be surrounded by Secret Service agents, and the most protected person in attendance, but he had to see it for himself. He wouldn't be able to convince his heart to stop hammering out of his chest until he laid his own eyes on her.

Fitz just thought what he had been dealing with was bad. When he finally broke through the anxious, shoving, terrified people in the hall and entered the ballroom, he witnessed mass hysteria. People were crying, screaming, bleeding, in shock, and various other degrees of reacting with what was happening. The shots had stopped and that made him wonder if the perpetrator had been caught or killed or had escaped.

His eyes searched the room to look for any sign of Olivia or Will, but he saw nothing other than hundreds of people who were scared to death and trying to get outside. He spotted a familiar green gown. Miranda. Shit! He had forgotten all about her once he had gotten Olivia alone. Fitz made his way over to her through the throng of people.

She had her back to him, and once Fitz reached her he touched her shoulder. She turned around slowly. It was like something out of a horror movie. The front of her dress was covered in blood and she wore a look of glazed calm. She was in shock. Fitz knew she'd need to get seen by the paramedics, but he wanted to know where she was wounded.

"Miranda? Hey, are you alright?" he asked calmly.

"Hmm? Yes, I'm fine. There were some loud noises earlier, but they seem to have stopped now." She turned around as if to look for them.

"You have blood on the front of your gown. Where are you hurt?" He led her to a nearby chair and forced her to sit down.

She looked down at her dress and her face crinkled in confusion. "I'm okay." she stated blandly.

She was in no mind to know if she truly was alright. Fitz began to search for the wound. There were no holes in her dress though, and the blood seemed to be spattered. Like it had come from the person Miranda had been standing near when a bullet hit him or her. He squatted in front of her. "Did you see who got shot?"

"The President..." she mumbled before she passed out. Fitz caught her in his arms and stood up to find out where the hell Olivia was at! He had to see her!

Stalking towards the door with an unconscious Miranda in his arms, he found a uniformed man standing at attention. He'd probably have no luck getting information out of him, but he had to try. "Sir? Can you please tell me where the President is right now?"

The man stared at Fitz and then looked away without saying a word.

Fucking hell! He needed answers!

A paramedic came to Fitz and asked to look at Miranda. He set her down on the floor and waited while they checked her over. Finally, one of them said, "she's not injured. She's definitely in shock though. We'll take her to the hospital where we can keep her under surveillance overnight. It may take a few minutes to get her loaded into an ambulance because we have to check for the critically wounded first."

"Has anyone been taken to the hospital yet?"

"The President and First Gentleman were taken moments ago." Fitz opened his mouth, but the paramedic was faster. "Please don't ask me if they are wounded because I can't tell you that."

"Can you tell me which hospital they were taken to?" Fitz practically begged. He saw that he was about to be told no once more and he couldn't take it. "Please. I work for them. I'm not going to harass them I just need to know if they are alright."

The paramedic sized Fitz up and came to the conclusion that he was harmless. "They are at County General. They had to go there because the wounds are serious, and time was of the essence. That's really all I can tell you at this point. I wouldn't go to the hospital. Co-worker or no, there are armed guards at all entrances to the hospital and they are being very selective about who enters. If you're not injured, you're not getting inside. Now, until I come back for your friend here, you need to keep her legs elevated and make sure she stays warm."

"What about the shooters?"

"It was just one man, and he was killed by Secret Service, but not before he did some real damage and hurt a number of people. If we could get this crowd to settle down things would go a lot smoother. Look, I've got to go check on other people. I'll be back for her as soon as I can."

"Thank you." Fitz told him. He got on the floor, took off his tuxedo jacket, and spread it over Miranda before putting her head in his lap. He spoke soothing words to her to keep her calm, but inside he was anything but. His mind was full of Olivia and the serious wounds the paramedic had mentioned.

His mind conjured up all kinds of thoughts about Liv in the hospital. He imagined that she was clinging to life hooked up to all sorts of beeping machines. He wondered if she was being prepped for surgery? Being operated on? Having a machine breathe for her? Fitz closed his eyes and rubbed a hand over his face.

No!

He emptied his mind of all negative thoughts about Olivia. He refused to entertain the idea of losing her. She was fine. He kept his eye open for the returning paramedic just the same. When he took Miranda to the hospital, Fitz was going to ride with her and that's how he planned to get to Liv.

Twenty minutes later, Fitz and Miranda were in the back of an ambulance headed for the hospital. Miranda was wheeled into the emergency room and Fitz went to get information. He stopped by a nurse's station to ask questions, but they were tight lipped about anything pertaining to the President and First Gentleman. He should have known better.

Sighing, he headed back to the waiting area in the emergency room. Maybe by the time they were done checking Miranda and had gotten her into a room someone would be able to tell him something, anything at all, about Liv. He heard a familiar voice loudly commanding answers be given to him. Fitz's head snapped up to see Cyrus Beene stalking down the white corridor with a look of steel determination on his face. He saw Fitz and made his way towards him. "What's going on?"

"I...I don't know. They won't tell me anything! I don't know if she's hurt or in surgery or..." he gulped and refused to say the word out loud.

"I just got here and don't know anything either. Traffic was ridiculous the phone lines are all jammed."

Cyrus regarded the fixer. The man was in pain. Emotionally. It didn't matter if he liked Mr. Grant or not, he was obviously worried about the...Olivia. There was a big difference right now between Olivia Pope, leader of the free world and Olivia, the woman. This fixer, as big of a pain in the ass as Cyrus thought he was, was standing in front of him stripped away from his polish and calm, cool, collected exterior. He was nothing more than a man in love, by Cy's best guessestimation, and worried beyond all reason about the woman he loved and her safety and well being. Her title wasn't part of this equation.

Cyrus had never been Fitz's biggest fan, but he liked him a whole hell of a lot more than the asshole Olivia had married. He looked the tall man up and down, hoping he could find a reason to walk away and forget he saw him in the hospital to begin with. The fixer wasn't here for selfish reasons. He just wanted to know that Liv was alright. Cy had a feeling that he wouldn't rest until he knew one way or another exactly how she was. The look of love was all over his face. The desperation and worry were there too, but the love shown through very clearly. His romantic side was going to be the death of him. Sighing loudly, and hating himself for having a soft side, Cyrus rolled his eyes and said, "follow me."

Fitz nodded and followed Olivia's Chief of Staff. He knew that Cyrus had never really warmed up to him being around all the time, and he wondered what had changed the Chief of Staff's mind to allow him to go where Olivia was? Fitz wished he cared enough to ask, but he didn't want to jinx it. Instead, the two of them speed walked toward another armed man standing at the entrance of a wing of the hospital.

Cyrus held up his ID badge and the armed guard eyed it closely. When his eyes flicked over to Fitz, Cyrus said, "This is Fitzgerald Grant. He works for the family. He needs to know how badly the President and First Gentleman are hurt so that he can make a statement to the press at the White House this evening. He will be running point on this one, so get used to his face. I'll get him a clearance badge within the hour."

The armed guard nodded slightly and then stood aside.

"That was a good lie." Fitz told Cyrus' back. "Thank you."

Cyrus stopped walking and turned around, taking a step closer to Fitz. He pointed his finger at the fixer and said with an angry look, "that...wasn't a lie. You are going to run point on this. You are going to address the press corps within the hour, and your visit here will be a brief one."

"Oh" Fitz replied, completely in shock.

Cyrus jerked his head back and scowled at him. "Oh? Is that all you have to say to me for getting you in to see the First Family so soon after a major incident?"

"I'm sorry, Cyrus. I didn't mean..."

"You didn't mean what? To have romantic feelings for the President of the United States?"

Fitz kept his composure and listened intently to the older man ramble about what he thought he knew.

"Or you didn't mean to assume I'd do all of this for nothing? You WILL address the press corps at the White House about all of this. You will address them every day, keeping them updated on the situation and the severity of it until things calm down. They know your face from the campaign trail and you're a smooth talker. I assume that's part of what makes you so good at what you do for a living. Now, do we have a problem, Mr. Grant?" Cyrus stared at him with raised eyebrows.

"We do not." Fitz assured him. "But let's get one thing clear, Mr. Beene. I am not your puppet. The President and First Gentleman are more than clients to me. They are friends." He was stretching it by including Will in the friend's category, but Fitz would say just about anything to throw Cyrus off the Fitz and Olivia love trail. "I'm here because I am concerned about them and want to make sure they are both okay. Nothing more."

"That's cute" Cyrus chuckled humorlessly. He turned around to resume walking towards the hospital room. "If you agree to the terms then keep up with me."

Naturally, Fitz kept up.

The two men stopped outside a hospital room where another armed guard stood at attention. He looked both men over and then stepped aside to let them in. Fitz was anxious to get inside and find out what the hell had happened and how bad it was, but Cyrus stood in his path and said, "let me go in first and assess the situation. I'll come back for you after I've been updated."

"No." Fitz told him.

Cyrus cocked his head to the side and squinted up at him. "I'mmm sorry. Did you just tell me no?"

"I did."

"Do you want to go in there and find out what's going on? If the answer is yes, then you'd better get used to this hall until I get an update."

"I'm going in that room with or without you, Cy." Fitz firmly told him. "And if you try to stop me or block me in any way, I'll expose your little secret while I'm up on that podium in front of the press later on."

Cyrus was about to ask him what the hell he was talking about. He had so many of them buried and wanted none of them to come to light. Still, he reacted like he had no idea what the fixer was alluding to.

"There's the secret where you slept with one of the Secret Service agents who used to be on POTUS detail. The secret where you went to a reporter and leaked information about an upcoming vote on the hill. I also know about you helping Will to make sure that his secrets never come to light." Fitz said, leaning closer to keep his voice low. "Now. Tell me one more time that I have to wait to see Olivia and I'll start talking."

How in the actual hell had he learned all of that? Cyrus was the master at hiding things. Or so he thought. Maybe it was that freakishly scary guy who works with him? He shot an angry glare at the younger man before leading him into the hospital room.

The conversation, the threats, and the anger immediately subsided as the two men practically tip toed into the small room. As they walked further in, they found Olivia lying on the small bed. There was a faint beeping sound coming from a machine near the narrow hospital bed Olivia was lying on. Her left hand was wrapped up but that was the only sign of an injury that Fitz could see. He tried to keep himself calm and not imagine the worst, but the constant beeping was eerie, and he wanted nothing more than to climb into the tiny bed and gather her into his arms and never let go.

A nurse came into the room and excused herself as she went to the President's side and took her vitals. "She's just sleeping." the nurse said in a low voice. "She was given a sedative shortly after she arrived."

"Her injuries?" Fitz asked anxiously. He was going to have to work on calming himself down before speaking or asking about Olivia. If it was easy for Cyrus to see, then it would be for other to see as well. It was difficult to seem blasé about the situation when the only woman he ever loved was lying in a hospital bed a foot away. He took a deep breath and let it go.

"Just a sprained hand. It was the result of Secret Service toppling her to the floor and shielding her from any stray bullets. We wrapped it up for her because it'll be tender for a few weeks."

"And her husband?" Cyrus asked.

"I'll let the doctor know that you have arrived. He will be in shortly to give you that information." She left the room and for the first time since the whole thing had started, Fitz began to breathe a little easier. A sprained wrist wasn't so bad. Olivia would be back at work before long.

He was standing beside her bed looking down at her. She looked so small and fragile. Nothing at all like the bold, fierce, badass Fitz had seen Olivia be too many times to count. The need to touch her was overwhelming. Glancing to his left, Fitz noticed that Cyrus had his head down and his fingers were busily touching the screen of his phone. It was now or never. He sat down in the chair beside her bed.

Flattening his hand against the thin white blanket covering her, Fitz timidly slid his hand in her direction. When his larger fingers reached her tiny warm ones, he grazed her fingertip once before thinking 'to hell with this' and slid his hand underneath hers, holding her hand. Resting his head on their joined hands, Fitz fought the urge to cry. His whole world immediately felt a little more balanced.

A few minutes later, a short balding man entered the President's hospital room and Fitz quickly released Olivia's hand and got to his feet. He introduced himself and shook hands with Cyrus and Fitz. "My nurse told me that she updated you on the majority of the President's situation."

Fitz and Cyrus exchanged a confused glance. "There's more?" Cyrus asked.

"Let's step out in the hall to talk and let the President rest."

Fitz wasn't sure he wanted to hear whatever was going to be shared by the doctor.

The three men left Olivia's room and went to the small empty waiting room nearby. They all sat down in the ugly hard plastic chairs. "I apologize in advance if I come across as nervous. I've never been in this situation before. Since there is no immediate family here, what I'm sharing with you is confidential information."

"We understand. We both work very closely with the President and her privacy is of utmost concern." Cyrus told him.

"The President's arm will heal just fine as most sprains do with time. However, she was pregnant when she came in."

Fitz stopped breathing and listened more closely. Liv is pregnant. He wanted to grin and pass out cigars and be every bit the proud dad to be that most men are when they find out they are expecting a baby. He wanted to hold Liv close and tell her everything would be alright. That they'd figure something out together. That this baby was the best thing to happen to both of them. Her dream was now becoming real.

But he couldn't do any of those things because he wasn't supposed to be the dad. Certainly not a proud one. And Olivia was in a hospital bed and there were a thousand unanswered questions about what had happened that needed to be answered. He wanted to talk to her more than anything else.

"Did she lose the baby?" Cyrus asked anxiously. He knew that babies were political gold mines. Nothing makes poll numbers soar higher than a baby does. "She's mentioned more than once that she wanted to start a family."

"She hasn't lost the baby yet, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time..."

Fitz got to his feet and nervously ran a hand through his hair. This couldn't be happening! He quietly sat back down.

"...The stress of the situation has been difficult on her body. Not to mention the fact that she was brought down to the floor rather abruptly by her Secret Service agents, who were doing their job to protect her at all costs. On top of all that, her age is a factor to consider as well."

"How far along is she?" Cyrus wanted to know.

Fitz already knew the answer to that question but sat silently and waited to hear the confirmation.

"Just a few weeks. I doubt that she even knew yet, it was so soon. We will keep the fetus under close observation while she's here."

"If she only has a sprained wrist, then why is she sedated? It seems a bit severe for something so mundane." Cyrus said.

"Will the sedative hurt the baby?" Fitz asked. Cyrus shot him an angry look, but Fitz kept his eyes on the doctor. Someone had to speak for the baby, and since Fitz assumed the baby was his, he knew it was his job.

"The sedative will not hurt the unborn child. The medication will leave the baby's system just as it leaves the mothers. There is no increase in birth defects either. Put your minds at ease, gentleman. I thought about the fetus before giving her the sedative."

Looking at Cyrus the doctor said, "As for why she was sedated, the President had minor injuries when she was brought in. Her husband however, had much more serious ones."

Cyrus and Fitz exchanged a look. It hadn't occurred to either one of them to ask about William until now.

"The President wanted a list of names of all the attendees at the party who had been wounded. Demanding it really. She was screaming and in tears. Inconsolable. Nothing mattered more to her than knowing who was on that list. Naturally, no one had access to that information at the time. Still don't as far as I know since the wounded are still being brought to hospitals in the area. We caught her trying to leave her hospital room several times and found her on the floor near the nurse's station once. She said she had to know if he was hurt or shot or worse. I assumed she was referring to her husband and she became very agitated when I tried to get her back into bed and give her an update about the First Gentleman. She fought me every step of the way.

She was demanding information I couldn't give her, hysterical, covered in the blood of her husband, and she was wounded herself. She wouldn't let us look at her until we gave her the list of the hurt and dead from the party. Since her safety and well being is the most important thing to this country, we had no choice but to sedate her.

"You made the right decision, sir. If the President wasn't allowing you to do your job and take care of her, then your resolution was the correct one. As her Chief of Staff, I appreciate your dedication to her health and making it a top priority, no matter the cost."

"Thank you, Mr. Beene. I appreciate..."

Cyrus didn't need another person kissing his ass. He had plenty of people at the White House who did a much more thorough job at it for much less money. He had to get information. The country needed answers and it was his job to get them. There wasn't time for small talk. The nation had to be informed before a wide range of speculation became the topic of discussion instead of the facts. "Now, what is the update on the First Gentleman?"

The doctor spread his hands in front of him. "Again, I am at a loss at how to proceed. Generally, this type of news is delivered to the spouse first, but that isn't an option at this time."

"Just spill it, doc!" Cyrus spat out impatiently.

Fitz put his hand on Cyrus' shoulder and squeezed none too gently. "I apologize for the Chief of Staff. He's under a lot of pressure right now to produce answers for the country about what happened at the First Gentleman's birthday party. The names of the wounded and dead will have to be released to the public after the families are notified. Answers as to how this could have happened to begin with will have to be addressed as well. The status of the First Family is something the country will need to know to prevent chaos and market failures.

Camera crews from news outlets all over the world will try to get inside the hospital to catch a glimpse of the President or First Gentleman. I think it's best to keep them outside until they leave. Then they can film all they want. Don't you agree?"

"That isn't possible." The doctor replied firmly.

"If you think for one minute that you're going to be a hard ass and try to run point..." Cyrus sputtered with a pointed finger at the man in a white coat.

"Mr. Beene. Mr. Grant. I'm sorry, but it's not possible for that to happen. And not because I'm trying to do something underhanded."

"Why isn't it possible?" Fitz asked. That sinking feeling was in the pit of his stomach. Whatever the doctor was going to say was serious. Like, maybe Will would need months of therapy before he was able to walk? Or he would never walk again. That was not a scene that needed to be played on a loop for months. He sighed loudly.

The doctor looked between Fitz and Cyrus with a weary expression. "That can't happen because the First Gentleman is dead."

Cyrus squinted at him as if he hadn't heard him correctly. "What do you mean dead? He can't be dead! He's the first First Gentleman of the United States of America! Go check again!"

"I'm very sorry, but William Swann died from his wounds. He had been shot twice. Once in the chest and once in the neck. The shot in the neck hit his carotid artery. The paramedics kept him alive until he got to the hospital where he immediately went into surgery. He succumbed to his injuries and died shortly afterwards. By that time, the President had already been sedated."

"So, she has no knowledge that her husband is dead? Or that she is pregnant with a fetus who is barely clinging to life? Is that what you're saying?" Fitz asked.

"That is exactly what I'm saying. The two of you are the only people who know both of those things. Do you understand my hesitation for sharing this information before their families found out?"

Fitz got to his feet and started to make his way down the hall.

"Where do you think you're going?" Cyrus yelled angrily at his back.

He never turned around but answered the old man as he reached a door. "When...the President wakes up, she is going to want answers, and I intend to give them to her."

Cyrus scrambled to his feet and ran towards the fixer. Standing in front of him, he quietly hissed out, "You are not going to be anywhere near her when she wakes up! Do you hear me? I won't allow it!"

"I don't give a shit what you think you're going to allow me to do, Cyrus." Fitz quietly spat out at him. "When Liv was asking for a list of people who were hurt or killed at the party after she got here, she wasn't asking about Will. She was asking about me, and you know it! That baby she's pregnant with, the one who is teetering between life and death, is mine. And I'm sure you know that too! Just like you seem to know about everything that is said in that big White House. Even in the residence. It's all very concerning. How is that, Cy?"

Huck seemed to appear from out of nowhere and was making his way towards the two men in a staring contest. "Fitz!"

That was enough to pull Fitz from his trance like state "Huck? What the hell are you doing here?"

The scruffy faced man pulled his boss in for a quick hug and pounded him on the back. "I heard about what happened at the party. I had to make sure you were okay."

"How in the hell did you find out about that and how did you get..." Cyrus began in an angry tone. The look Huck gave before the questions could be finished quieted Cyrus down immediately.

"What do you need?" Huck asked Fitz and led him a few steps away from Cyrus.

"I don't need any..."

"I know. About you and Liv." Huck whispered.

"How in the hell..."

"Really?" Huck asked with a bland stare.

"Okay, but..."

"It doesn't matter. I know. Now what do you need?"

Fitz had no idea how Huck had learned his deepest secret, but he felt relief wash over him instead of fear that Huck knew. Getting his thoughts together Fitz said, "I need to sit with Liv uninterrupted until she wakes up so I can tell her everything she needs to know."

"You got it." Huck replied. Once Fitz had entered Liv's hospital room, Huck shook hands with the guard at the President's door and watched him quietly walk away.

Cyrus's eyes were on the verge of bulging out of his head. He strode confidently to Fitz's only employee and demanded, "what did you say to make him leave his post of guarding the President's room?"

Huck clasped his hands together behind his back and stood rock still. "He's taking his dinner break."

"He doesn't get a dinner break!" Cyrus exploded.

"Tonight he does. We were in black ops together and I saved his life one night. He told me years ago that he owes me a favor. A favor I could cash in any time I want. No questions asked." Huck patiently explained.

Cyrus extended his right hand towards Liv's doorknob.

"Do not touch that door." Huck quietly warned the Chief of Staff without looking at him. "You should have people to question. Statements to craft. Stories to spin. You need to get ahead of this and make sure none of it blows back on the President. I'd get busy with any of that if I were you.

Now Huck looked directly into Cyrus' eyes, giving him a lethal glare. "But you are not going in that room."


	10. Heaviness

**Heaviness**

It felt like a heavy wet blanket was weighing her down. Like she was swimming to the surface of the ocean but no matter how hard she tried to reach it she was pulled down into the dark depths once again. As much as she wanted to join the land of the living, it just didn't seem possible right now.

She heard voices. They were female and friendly, but she couldn't understand what they were saying no matter how hard she tried to be still and listen. They seemed right next to her but so far in the distance at the same time. It was the strangest feeling and she didn't like it.

The feeling of exhaustion was overwhelming. Her eyes were extremely heavy, and she had no strength to try to open them. Her will to do so was waning with each passing moment. It felt as if her arms and legs were tied down, preventing her from moving them, but she realized that she hadn't even tried. It was all very confusing. She wanted nothing more than to rest for as long as humanly possible and gave up on the will to stay conscious.

And then she heard a different voice.

This voice was much deeper. All male. And it was so familiar. Like the moment the music to your favorite song starts, and as it begins to play, your brain scrambles to try to recall the first words before they are spoken. This voice stirred something in her. Some deep sense of longing. And though she couldn't understand what he was saying, and his voice was muffled beyond comprehension, she knew she had to continue to hear it.

So, she swam harder and faster to the surface. And once she reached it, it seemed as if something was grasping her ankle to pull her down once again to the blissfully contented rest. But this time she fought against it. She kicked harder.

His voice became a little clearer and she heard him speak her name.

She kicked even harder against the imaginary hand that tried to hold her down, determined to break through the surface this time. She felt the surface touch the top of her head. She was getting closer to the voice and the man it belonged to. Fighting as hard as she could, she willed her eyes to open. The simple task felt like a huge burden she would never accomplish. As much as the heavy tired feeling clung to her, she concentrated on opening her eyes.

When they finally did open, everything was so bright. It took a few minutes to adjust from the darkness she had been living in. Swallowing, her throat felt as dry as a desert. A yawn escaped her mouth and she blinked a few times to put everything into perspective. Something squeezed her hand. Her vision immediately was clearer, and she was greeted by the most handsome face she had ever seen in her life.

Fitz

He was sitting in a chair beside her and he smiled at her, a strange little smile. And then he closed his eyes and brought her hand to his lips, placing a soft gentle kiss on her knuckles. He intertwined their fingers and brought the back of her hand to his cheek before looking her in the eye and saying, "hi."

It felt like she hadn't seen him in ages. She returned the smile as well as the greeting before she began to caress his cheek. "Hi."

He had on his tuxedo. The tie was undone and hanging loosely from his neck. She immediately thought it was sexy, but at the same time, Fitz in a tuxedo was something Olivia found very strange under the circumstances. Why would he be in her bedroom wearing a tux?

And then she looked around the room. The lights were bright and harsh in here. There was a constant beeping noise and the bed was a lot smaller than the one she usually slept in. Her eyes went wide, and panic bubbled inside of her as she realized exactly where she was. "Fitz!"

His name came out a bit louder than a whisper. "Why! What? How?"

He got in her face to keep her focus on him. It steadied her some. "Hey. You are in the hospital, but everything is okay."

Olivia couldn't help but feel that he was sugar coating things some. She sat up a little straighter in the bed. She squinted as she tried to remember what had happened to bring her here. "The party" she croaked out. "There was a shooting."

"That's right." Fitz said in a soothing tone. He was equally relieved and saddened that she could remember so quickly after coming around.

"Were you shot?" she asked and began to pat his body all over.

"No. I'm okay." he assured her. Leave it to Olivia to make sure that he was alright before asking about herself.

Her eyes doubled in size and she looked down at herself. "Was I shot?"

He held both of her hands in his and gave her a firmer tone. "No. Other than a sprained wrist, you are absolutely fine. Do you hear me?"

Olivia nodded, feeling tears sting her eyes.

"Listen, you are going to have a lot of questions about what happened. I will tell you the truth about every single one that I have an answer to, and then we need to talk about a few things. Is that alright?"

"Yes." She swallowed again, still feeling parched. "Can I please have some water first?"

Fitz poured some water from the small pink pitcher into the cup with the hospital name on it with a white accordion straw standing at attention. He watched her take a few sips as he held down a button on her bed that had her sitting up. He settled himself on the chair he had been sitting on for the past few hours and waited for her questions. It was good to have her back.

Olivia didn't know where to begin. She needed answers to so many things. First things first. "Did they catch the person who did the shooting?"

Fitz solemnly shook his head back and forth. "I was told that Secret Service killed him just before he turned his gun on the crowd."

"I hate that his life was ended, but he had to be stopped. Was anyone killed as a result of his actions?"

She was starting to sound presidential to Fitz's ears and it did his heart good. He knew this conversation would not be a pleasant one, but he promised to give honest answers and he wasn't about to back down now. "I'm afraid so. Two people were killed. Nineteen were wounded. None of the wounded were seriously hurt, and most have already been released from the hospital. One needed to be monitored overnight from what I'm told."

"I'll have to get a list of names of all the wounded as well as the names of the two people who were killed and call the families to express my condolences personally. Do you have that list?"

"I do."

"May I have it please? I'd like to look over it to see if I am personally familiar with anyone on it. I practically hand picked everyone who would be in attendance tonight."

"Liv..." Fitz began. "You need to know something before I give you the list."

She looked into his blue eyes and saw that the troubling gray was prominent. Her eyebrows dropped and she asked, "Fitz? What is it? What's the matter?"

"There's a name on the list that is very familiar to you. In fact, it may be difficult for you to hear it."

"Who is it?" she asked.

Fitz took a deep breath and held it for a long moment before releasing it.

"Fitz?"

"It's William."

Olivia gasped and her eyes went wide.

Fitz knew that she wouldn't want emotions. She would want the cold hard facts. So, like a bandage, he pulled it off quickly. "He was shot in the chest and neck. The doctor said that the bullet in his neck hit his carotid artery. He was rushed into surgery the second you were both brought here, but he didn't stand a chance. He died on the operating table. I'm very sorry, Liv."

She brought the straw to her lips and took another long sip of water. Will was dead. She thought back to the last conversation she had with him. It had been ugly and mean and meant to hurt him, like he had hurt her over the years. It hadn't hurt him though. Somehow, he had turned the tables and once again he had hurt Olivia instead. She hadn't even gotten the chance to sing happy birthday to him because gunfire had erupted in the ballroom.

Her husband was dead as a result.

Looking over at Fitz, she held his hand tighter and looked at their joined hands. Lifting her head to look him in the eye she quietly asked, "is it bad that I'm not crying?"

"No." he assured her. "Liv, you've been through an emotional night. You're just coming around after being sedated, and you're hearing difficult news. How you process it is how you process it. I'm not going to judge that."

"He was..." Olivia would be forced to speak his name more times than she would care to over the next few weeks. She wasn't going to say it now if she didn't have to, and Olivia knew that Fitz would support her decision. "He was just a horrible man. All the way to his core. There wasn't one redeemable quality about him."

She had to change the subject. "Do you know who the other person is that was killed?"

"Not personally. Huck did some digging though. He was a college buddy of William's. I'm not sure how he got into the party, but..."

"I invited him." Olivia whispered. "He played a part in enabling Will to spend time with one particular woman. I was going to confront him about it."

Fitz sighed. "I hate to be the one to say it, but since you can't, it's probably for the best that he's gone."

"You can't say that." Olivia whispered in a shocked tone.

"Hell yes I can. It's one less person causing you pain with this whole thing." He needed to shut the hell up. The ranting and raving weren't helping the situation. "I'm sorry. What other questions do you have?"

She tried to think of where to begin. Fitz had brought someone with him to the party. "Did Miranda get hurt at all?"

"Not directly. I think she was standing next to someone who was wounded or killed. She had blood spattered all over her gown. When I got down to the ballroom and saw her, she was in shock. She was brought here by ambulance and she's the one they are keeping overnight for observation."

"Poor thing. She's never going to attend another party with you again." Olivia half joked.

"I wouldn't blame her."

"How long were you out on the balcony before you went down to the ballroom?" Olivia asked.

"I was up there realizing that I never asked you about..." His voice drifted off and he changed the subject. "When the shooting started. That's when I made my way down there. I had to find you to make sure you were alright. By the time I fought through the sea of people trying to escape you were already gone."

She gripped his hand harder. "I knew there was nothing I could do to get the ambulance driver to turn around and look for you, so I kept quiet. But once we reached the hospital I begged for information. Anyone who would listen. I had to know that you were alive. I even tried to leave the hospital."

Fitz glanced at the door and saw Huck's back standing in front of the glass, blocking anyone's view into the room. He climbed onto the bed and held Olivia in his arms, being mindful of her bad wrist. It felt good to have her close to him again after everything they had been through that night.

"Fitz, I don't think we should be..." Olivia began in a panicked tone.

"Huck is on the door. He won't let anyone in here. Not even hospital staff if we don't want them. He..."

Olivia tried to pull out of his embrace. "Huck can't..."

"He knows, Liv." Fitz said matter of factly.

"What? How? He can't know about us!" Olivia sputtered and tried to get out of bed.

Fitz easily held her in place. "And yet he does know about us. He's not going to say anything to anyone. He is loyal, Liv. He's the only person, other than you, that I trust with my life."

She laid her head back down against his chest. "It's just strange that someone other than you and I and Tom knows about us."

"I didn't realize he knew until tonight. He just vaporized at the hospital, on your well-guarded floor no less, and wanted to make sure I was okay. Asked me what I needed and then said he knew about us."

"Wow. Huck is a good guy to have on our side."

"He's the best. Just don't tell him I said that. He'd get a swelled head and be impossible to work with."

She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Right now, I'm just so glad that you're okay. I was out of my mind with worry that you had been hurt or...or worse."

"I was struggling with those same worries at the White House. I was desperate for answers, but even that wasn't enough. Even if I never got to be near you, I had to see you with my own eyes. It was the strangest damned thing." He held her tighter and reminded his heart that she was fine.

"What was it you never asked me about?" Olivia murmured from the safety of his embrace.

Shit. He wondered how he could spin that.

And then he realized that he didn't want to. It was happy news. Maybe the only happy news to come out of this whole clusterfuck of a nightmare. He pulled away from her to look her in the eye. "Cyrus and I met with the doctor who treated you. He's the one who told us about Will. He also told us about your sprained wrist and the reason they had to sedate you. Apparently, it's frowned upon for a sitting President to attempt to escape the hospital when she's frantic."

Olivia squeezed him a little harder.

"Anyways, the doctor told us that when you were brought in, they did some blood work and it was discovered that you were...pregnant." Fitz told her.

She stared at him for a moment before her eyes moved around the room, searching for understanding. When her eyes landed on his once again, she quietly asked, "were?"

"What?" he asked in genuine confusion.

"You said they discovered that I was pregnant..."

"Liv..."

"Past tense."

"Hey."

"So, I lost it?" She began to cry and buried her face in his broad chest. "How can it hurt so much to lose something I didn't even know I had?"

"Liv, look at me." Fitz said patiently. He swiped her tears away with his fingers and waited for her to open her eyes. Explaining to her the situation wasn't going to be easy. "You are still pregnant."

"I am?"

He kissed her forehead. "Yes. You need to know that the doctor seems to think that it's only a matter of time before you lose it though. He said the stress of the situation was bad enough. Your Secret Service agents unexpectedly forcing you to the ground and piling up on top of you to shield you from bullets didn't help matters. It's...not a good outlook for the pregnancy, I'm afraid."

"I want to see my baby."

He had heard her perfectly well. "I beg your pardon?"

"I know that you heard me, Fitz. I want to see what's going on in there."

"Liv, I really don't think that's a good idea." Fitz told her. He didn't want to be the one talking sensibly right now. Having to point out the fact that his son or daughter might not survive was not high on his list of things Fitz wanted to deal with today.

"Why not?"

"What if..." he turned away from her and began to get to his feet. But she pulled him back towards her. "What if they do an ultrasound and the baby is already gone?"

"But what if she isn't? Fitz, don't you want to see her in there while we can? Besides, she's part you and part me. She's bound to be stubborn as hell. I think she has a fighting chance to make it."

Liv had a point, he conceded. He just wanted to make sure she was aware of the risks. "Okay. I'll go find the doctor and tell him what you want."

"It's for you too, Fitz." she told him.

"Right, but I won't be able to be in there with you to see everything." he reminded her.

"You're right and I'm sorry. But I will make sure that they record the entire thing so you can watch it afterwards. It's something." she offered.

"Yea" he said quietly.

"Hey. I love you." she told him.

"I love you too" he replied. "I'm very glad that you're okay." Fitz got to his feet and went to her hospital room door. He had a brief conversation with Huck, who stayed in place, and then Fitz went to go get the doctor to tell him what the President wanted.

When Fitz returned with the doctor, Olivia was coming out of the bathroom. She had tears running down her cheeks and a wild look on her face and both hands on her belly. Her eyes went from the doctor to Fitz and back to the doctor again. "I'm...I'm bleeding."

Fitz had to force himself to stay in place and not rush to her side, acting the part of the scared and worried partner. Instead, he watched the doctor go to her and in hushed tones ask a few questions as he helped her back onto the hospital bed.

Turning to look at Fitz, he said, "I need to check her. She may be losing the baby now."

She was curled up on the narrow hospital bed, clutching her stomach and wincing in pain. It took her a minute, but she finally got the words out, "I want him to stay."

"Ms. Pope!" The physician hissed. "I don't think you know what you're saying. I am going to check your cervix. If it's open that means you have lost your baby. Now, you don't really want Mr. Grant to stay in this room while I check you?"

Fitz wanted to excuse himself and spare the doctor the dressing down he was about to get, but Olivia was quicker. He clamped his lips together and avoided eye contact with either of them.

"I am the President of the United States. I am arguably the most powerful woman in the world! My husband is dead, I have no immediate family, and Mr. Grant is a family friend as well as someone who works closely with my administration. If I say I want him to stay for moral support, that's exactly what I mean. I. Want. Him. To stay." Olivia saw the physician's eyes lower in fear, much like a wounded dog. "Please don't question me again. Now, let's get on with it."

Fitz didn't know where to go or exactly where he should stand, so he stayed in place near the door until Olivia called him to her side. The doctor had pushed the call button from Olivia's bed and a nurse came in. She pulled a clean sheet from a drawer in the room and draped it over Olivia's waist. It all happened so quickly it was practically a blur.

The physician explained to Olivia and Fitz that her cervix was open, signaling that she was most likely experiencing a miscarriage. Olivia turned her head in the opposite direction and began to cry silently. Fitz wanted to punch someone or something, but instead focused on the information being given to them and kept his face blank of emotion.

"What is the next step?" he asked from Olivia's side.

"I'll take her blood to check her hCG levels and then I'll perform an ultrasound to see if a healthy gestational sac and placenta can be found. We'll know for sure after we do these two things. Some bleeding is not at all uncommon during pregnancy, but the amount of blood loss the President is experiencing is definitely an indicator that this is an inevitable miscarriage. The open cervix is the body's way to naturally expel the pregnancy."

Fitz breathed in deeply and clenched his jaw to stop himself from barking orders for the little man in the white coat to make it stop!

"I wish the news was better. I'm so very sorry."

"There's still a chance." Olivia whispered between the tears. She hadn't moved, but she had heard every word. She was holding onto hope for as long as she could.

"I'll go order the bloodwork and once it's finished, we'll take you up to get the ultrasound done." The doctor told them before leaving the room.

Fitz glanced at the door once the doc had left them. He saw Huck glance inside the room and make eye contact with him momentarily before turning around to face the hall. A thousand words were exchanged between the two men in that brief glance. They'd talk later. But now he had to focus on Liv.

He pulled the chair back beside her bed and reached for her hand. It was killing him to see her so broken. He started to rub gentle little circles on her hand, wishing for the right words to come to him. To be able to soothe out the rough edges of her hurting heart. Nothing came to him, so he decided to wing it. "Livvie?" he says softly.

Olivia didn't move.

"I know you don't want to talk, and that's okay. You can listen to me. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I know how you're feeling because I don't. I've never been through this before. I feel...lost. And I hurt too, because this baby is mine and I don't want to lose it either. But I can't say that. I've got to hold it all together, so no one suspects that I'm emotionally attached to it or to you. It's very..." He takes a shaky deep breath in. "...frustrating."

Olivia turns over in the bed, toward him, and puts her other hand on top of their joined ones. Lifting it, she cups his cheek and strokes it with her thumb. "I'm sorry, Fitz. I didn't mean for..."

"No." His free hand comes up to rest on top of the one she has on his cheek and his intense blue eyes lock with her sad large brown ones. "Please don't say you're sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. Do you hear me? Nothing!"

She nods as the tears flow down her cheeks and keeps his gaze. "I feel like I've wasted so much of my life with Will. Even if nothing that happened tonight had anything to do with the possibility of us losing this baby, my age is definitely a factor too."

He opened his mouth to speak, but she shook her head back and forth and kept talking.

"I should have divorced him a long time ago and you and I should have gotten married and been the First Family. Maybe then, none of this would have happened." She started sobbing again.

"Hey, we can't couldda wouldda shouldda our lives. We can only take what's happened, right where we are now, and learn from it."

"What are we supposed to learn from this, Fitz?" she asked bitterly.

He waited until she was looking him in the eye again. "We know that we want to be together. In public. Not hiding in the shadows. So, we come up with a plan to make that happen."

"We can't be together publicly. My husband just died, and the nation will be expecting a grieving widow for a while. I can't be seen with anyone in the romantic sense for quite some time."

"That's right. For a while."

She shot him an impatient expression.

"Look, you are going to have to take some time to publicly grieve him. There's no way around that. It's expected and you're going to have to perform." He held up his index finger as those words he had been searching for started coming to him. He was going into fixer mode now. It was as if someone turned on a light switch in his mind.

"After you have grieved a respectable amount of time then you should start dating."

Olivia squinted at him as her head slowly moved backwards in disbelief. "Are you insane? I'm not going to start dating. We're going to be together."

"You're damn right we are, Liv." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "But you can't go from grieving Will to dating me. It would be too obvious to certain people. The public isn't stupid either." Fitz explained.

"What exactly are you thinking then?"

"You go on a couple of dates with men who are the appropriate age and who are also well educated career men. You'll go to public places where the press will see every single thing you do and write about every detail of it. What you wore, where you went, what was said, what did he look like, did he kiss you..." Fitz shot her a look of determination and added, "that will be a firm NO by the way."

"None of those dates with any of those men will lead to anything because you will be too focused on running the country. But, when one of our friendlier news outlets gets an anonymous tip that you've been spending time with someone you have been friends with for years, someone you trust implicitly, who also took over as press secretary and kept the country informed when you found yourself in a hospital after a terrorizing night involving gun fire, someone who has known you since before you were the President of the United States, and that you have begun to develop romantic feelings for him, they will have no choice but to accept it."

Olivia studied his face. He seemed to have the future of their relationship and taking it public all worked out. She just had a few questions. "I'm sorry. What was that about you being press secretary?"

"That was one of Cyrus' demands before he let me see you. I have no problem with that."

"And who in the hell am I supposed to go out with? And when? This is going to take so much time, Fitz. Time that I don't want to wait."

"Sometimes waiting is necessary." He kissed her hand again, needing a minute before telling her everything else that was on his heart. "No matter what happens today, you and I will have babies together. Do you hear me?"

Her lip trembled and her eyes started to water but she nodded at him. "Do you promise?"

"I promise. Even if this baby doesn't make it past tonight, it's still something we created together, and that makes you the mother of my child. That's a bond that can never be broken."

She reached for him and Fitz leans over her, collecting her into his embrace as she cries. "I love you. Always."

"I love you too."

Fitz sits back down moments before the doctor comes back into the room with his nurse in tow. "Madam President, my nurse is going to take some blood and we'll send it down to the lab with a rush on it. By the time I have you back from the ultrasound we should have an answer as well as confirmation to what I suspect is a miscarriage."

Olivia nodded mutely and held out her right arm for the blood to be drawn.

"I'm going to step out into the hall to talk to Huck while you get the ultrasound performed, but I'll be waiting for you when you're done, Madam President. We'll discuss talking points and then I'll have to head to the White House to update the press." Fitz explained.

Again, Olivia nodded but said nothing.

"I don't envy you your job." The doctor said quietly.

Fitz left the room and found Huck standing at attention. Being careful to step away from the door so Olivia couldn't see him, Fitz sighed loudly and rubbed a hand across his face. He felt exhausted all the way down into his bones.

"How are you holding up?" Huck asked as he watched his boss.

"I'm fine. I could use a good cup of coffee, but other than that I'm good. How about you? You've been standing out here for about four hours. Do you need a break?"

"Did I ask for a break?" Huck asked.

"Would you ask for a break even if you needed one?" Fitz replied.

"Breaks are for pansies."

"Right. Where's Cyrus?"

"He left about an hour ago. He was pissed off and muttering to himself. He really doesn't like me. How's she doing in there?"

"She knows her husband is dead."

"What about the other guy that was killed?"

"Liv invited him to the party. He was an old college buddy of the asshole's. Apparently, he provided the First Gentleman with a place to meet up with one of his women."

"Classy guy had classy friends."

"Liv was planning on calling the friend out on his shit."

"See, she's tougher than anyone gives her credit for. She's gonna pull through this just fine."

"She was pregnant." Fitz said in a hushed tone.

Huck squinted at Fitz. "Was?"

"Is. Well, the doctor s pretty sure she's having a miscarriage now."

"Fuck." Huck muttered.

Fitz was quiet for a minute, and Huck looked at him. Really looked at him. He was broken. Looked like he was doing his damndest to keep from crying too. "Your baby?"

Fitz nodded.

"Fuck" Huck muttered again. It was bound to be awkward, but he pulled Fitz close and pounded him on the back once before releasing him. "There will be more babies one day."

Fitz nodded.

The two men parted as Olivia was taken from her room in a wheelchair.

"When this is all over, why don't you go home? Get some rest so you're fresh tomorrow?" Huck suggested.

"I can't. I've got to go to the White House and update press corp. They are probably crawling the walls by now, but they are going to have to wait until I get an update on Liv."

"I'm going to go take a leak and grab a couple of coffees while she's gone. I'll be back before she is though. I promise."

"Take your time, Huck. You've done more for me tonight than..."

"I'll be back" Huck insisted before walking off.

Fitz went into Olivia's empty room and sat back down in the chair beside the bed. He wanted nothing more than to be there for her and to hold her as she cried and grieved this loss that seemed inevitable. To take her home and comfort her for as long as it took. But that wasn't an option. Instead he laid his head down on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes for just a moment.

Olivia felt raw and vulnerable and angry and beaten down and wounded and unbelievably sad. She was being wheeled back to her room from her ultrasound where the doctor informed her that there was no sign of the sac. He asked if she was still bleeding and when she nodded, he expressed his deepest regrets for her loss. He said the blood work would be the confirmation of the miscarriage and his nurse silently took her back to her room.

When Olivia reached her door, Huck was standing there like a good soldier and Olivia asked the nurse to give them a moment alone. Touching his arm, and half expecting him to flinch, Olivia spoke gently to Fitz's right hand man. "I want to thank you for being here. Your presence has helped me have the time I needed to be told about everything that happened at the party from the person I needed to hear it from. Thank you, Huck."

"You're welcome, Madam President." Huck wasn't good with personal or feelings, and he damn sure wasn't comfortable with being thanked for doing his job. But he had a soft spot for her because she was Fitz's girl. And a badass in his opinion.

He glanced back at the door and said, "sleeping beauty needs to be woken the hell up. Ma'am."

Olivia smiled at him. Huck wasn't fooling her. She could tell that he loved and respected Fitz. It was nice to know he was human. And trying to lighten the heavy mood, if even for a moment. She leaned closer to him and said, "good help is so hard to find."

She could have sworn she saw a smile cross his face before he straightened it into the tough scowl.

Getting to her feet, Olivia left the wheelchair in the hall and walked into her room. There was Fitz, just as Huck said, fast asleep sitting in the chair with his head on her bed. He looked terribly uncomfortable, but he was there. She got under the thin blanket, careful to not wake him, and moved his head to her lap.

Her fingers began to softly stroke his hair as she thought about his plan for their future. It was a good plan. It would take a little longer to accomplish than she wanted to endure, but like he said, waiting is necessary sometimes. Fitz was worth waiting for and she loved him with her whole heart. Once the wait was over and they were publicly a couple, she was going to marry him and get started on their forever together.

And then his other words popped into her mind. He called her the mother of his child and said it was a bond that could never be broken. He was going to be hurting when she told him this child was gone. Olivia wished more than anything that she could comfort him when he eventually broke down when the reality and pain set in. They deserved to grieve this loss together.

Instead, they would have to put some space between them. She would have to grieve the son of a bitch she was married to and start dating men who would think they had hit the jackpot by being with her. The thought of the grieving and dating made her feel exhausted. As her eyes fell back to the love of her life, she knew it would be worth it in the end. And they would have as many babies together as they wanted. It made her smile and want that life with him.

Sometimes waiting is necessary.

Fitz stirred, and a moment later he lifted his head and two bleary blue eyes looked up at her. "Shit. I'm sorry I fell asleep, Liv. How long was I out?"

"I just got back, so not long enough. You need some sleep." she gently told him.

"What did the doctor say?" he asked. The moment he saw her sad expression, he got back onto the bed and held her in his arms. "I'm so sorry. I was hoping the baby would make it."

"I'm sorry too. For so many things, Fitz. Losing the baby, not being able to mourn that together, us living separate lives. All of it."

"It's okay." he told her.

"No, it's not." She pulled out of his arms and looked him in the eye. "But it's going to be. I've thought about your plan for us to be together. Really together. It's going to take longer than I want, and I'll have to do things I don't want to do. Dating seems ridiculous at this point in life."

Fitz searched her eyes. She had more to say, he knew, and he wanted to hear all of it. "But?"

She cupped his cheek again and gave him a small smile. Her voice felt weak, like the words wouldn't come out very strong because of the tears. "But...sometimes waiting is necessary. And if waiting means that we get to have forever together with as many babies as a house can hold, then I'm in."

His head closed the gap between them, and he captured her lips in a soft kiss. He poured all of his emotions into the kiss while keeping it tender and meaningful. When he finally broke the kiss, he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you so much, Liv."

"I know."

"This is going to work. I promise."

"Speaking of work, you need to get to the White House and brief the press corp. Cyrus is going to be in a foul mood and in rare form." She watched him get to his feet and begin the transformation of being the fixer. She knew he was about to leave and already missed him. He wasn't even gone yet. "I'm being released as soon as you leave, so I'll be watching your address on tv."

"You'd better be watching from your bedroom. I fully expect you to get your ass into bed the minute you get back to the White House." he warned her.

"I'm the President. I do what I want." she informed him with sass.

Fitz raised his eyebrows at her and said nothing.

"It just so happens, that I was planning to get some rest when I get back."

"Another good plan." He stuffed his tie into his jacket pocket before putting his hands on her bed and leaning close to her. "Take care of yourself, Madam President." He touched his lips to hers, happily lingering there as long as possible before pulling away and leaving the room. Huck fell in step beside him without a word.

**I try not to leave notes for this story, but this chapter compelled me to leave one. I decided on the miscarriage for several reasons. One, Olivia wouldn't have time to grieve Will, date randoms, & end up with Fitz all while pregnant. It would either have to be Will's baby to the public, which was not an option for me, or the first female President would appear to be a loose woman, which was not an option for me. I know we all want them to be happy now and have babies - & that's coming - but not right now. I hope you plan on sticking with me while I navigate this story. Sometimes waiting is necessary. **

**Also, I have to give a huge shout out to Megabby on twitter. I talked her through how I planned to write this chapter & she provided very helpful feedback & guidance. Some of these words are hers and she deserves the credit for them.**


	11. Keeping You Informed

**Keeping You Informed**

Fitz had left the hospital and immediately headed to his house for a shower and a change of clothes. He knew that Cyrus was already pissed off at him for not being a good little puppet who did what he was told, but it had been a really long night physically, emotionally, and mentally. Besides, at this point Fitz was beyond caring what Cyrus thought he should or shouldn't be. Still, he asked Huck to step on it as not to keep the old man waiting longer than necessary.

As Huck drove Fitz rested his head against the passenger window and closed his eyes, reflecting on the past several hours. Will was dead. While it would seem that would have removed the biggest barrier for him to be with Liv, it just created other problems. He was going to have to set up dates for Liv to go on. The thought of it made his stomach churn.

Knowing some guy would think he was the luckiest man on earth because the White House had reached out to ask him for a date on behalf of the President was appalling. Knowing that same guy would be at home spending hours to get ready for the date started to piss him off. Random would end up feeling entitled, thinking Olivia wanted something from him that she didn't really want. What if one of them got handsy? Or demanding? Or mean?

Fitz decided that when it came time for him to give Liv a list of names, that each man's background was gone over with a fine tooth comb by Huck, once Fitz had done so himself. Just to make sure that nothing was missed the first three times. Fitz would also make damn sure that the dates began and ended in public spaces. Olivia was not going to be left alone with any of them. PhD or not. Of course, Fitz knew that Secret Service wouldn't let their President out of their sight, and that Olivia could take care of herself just fine. She was not above putting anyone in their place when they stepped out of line. In fact, the thought of her doing just that made Fitz grin like an idiot.

Not wanting to think about Olivia going out with anyone other than himself, Fitz thought about something much more somber. He and Liv had lost their baby. While he knew there would be more babies for them in their very bright happy future, it didn't lessen the pain of losing this baby. He was thankful Huck had showed up at the hospital like he had, to give him and Liv time to deal with the loss as well as to discuss what the future for them looked like.

It was going to be rough and lonely for a while.

The shower at home helped shake off the lingering dregs of his exhaustion. Huck sat at the kitchen table waiting for the coffee he had made to finish brewing and silently kept busy doing Huck things. Fitz ignored him, turned on the television in the living room, and went into his bedroom to find something suitable to wear to address the press corp.

"Dude! Turn that shit down." Huck called out from the kitchen.

"What?" Fitz called back from deep in his closet.

"Turn the tv down!"

"I'm listening to it."

Huck cursed under his breath and quickly made his way into Fitz's bedroom. Fitz was rummaging through his hangers, pausing to look at each suit, and then flicking the hanger to the right so he could move on to the next one. "Hey! It's so loud I can't hear myself think out here."

"What are you thinking about?" Fitz asked, not caring what the answer was, as he continued looking at his clothes. He needed to go shopping.

Exasperated, Huck grabbed a navy blue suit from the closet and threw it onto Fitz's bed. "Wear that one."

Fitz turned his head to examine the suit and scowled at his co-worker. "What the fuck do you know about clothes all of a sudden?"

Huck was standing toe to toe with Fitz. Without blinking he said, "I know that blue is your color. It makes your eyes stand out and it makes you look more formidable. The press will treat you more seriously."

Fitz gave Huck a sincerely confused look. He was still in shock at all of the words the man had just spoken. "My eyes will stand out? Have you been watching fashion police reruns again?"

"Shut up." Huck grabbed a light blue dress shirt and a blue stripped tie and threw both of those items on the bed too. "I've told you before, what you wear is a reflection on me. Usually you look fine, but you'll be on television tonight and you need to look your best. Besides, she'll be watching, and you want to her to see you looking put together and strong. Wear the blue."

Fitz grinned at Huck and slung an arm around his neck affectionately. "Awwww, who knew there was a big ole fashion forward teddy bear under that mean looking exterior."

"Shut up and get off me." Huck shrugged Fitz's arm off and stormed out of the bedroom, calling out, "the coffee is done, but you aren't getting any until you turn that fucking tv down!"

"You're such a work wife." Fitz muttered under his breath.

"I heard that" Huck called out from the next room.

Once he was dressed Fitz looked in the mirror. He had to agree with Huck's strange but correct assessment of the blue suit. He looked powerful, felt more confident too. And his eyes really did pop! Maybe he should listen to Huck a little more often?

Maybe pigs would fly too?

He made his way into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. The moment the black liquid touched his lips Fitz groaned loudly.

"Do you need a minute with your coffee? Should I leave the room or something?" Huck chuckled.

"Shut up! This is the first decent cup of coffee I've had in twelve hours after a hellish night. Let me enjoy it." Fitz stood over Huck's shoulder with his cup in hand and glanced at the computer monitor in front of both of them. "What is everyone saying?"

"That something happened at the birthday gala, but nothing has been confirmed yet. The White House is keeping quiet and they are waiting for a statement, bla bla bla. It's all guesses right now." Huck looked up at Fitz to hear what he had to say about the situation.

"Come on, the wolves are getting restless. We'd better go get this over with. They'll have plenty to work with once I'm done with them." Fitz emptied his coffee cup and set it in the sink before he and Huck left and headed to the White House.

Upon their arrival, Cyrus met them the moment they stepped out of the car. Naturally, he looked pissed off. "Where in the hell have you been?" he growled in a low tone. "You should have been here hours ago! The press is losing their minds, blowing up the phone in my office asking for a quote."

Fitz walked ahead a few steps with Cyrus and the two of them continued their heated conversation. "There were things that had to be dealt with at the hospital before I could leave. Serious things like the loss of her husband, the loss of her baby..."

"The President lost the baby?" Cyrus cut in looking truly saddened at the news.

"Yea. It was a tough thing to go through." Fitz admitted.

Cyrus nodded his head angrily as a frustrated sound escaped his throat. "Why can't things ever work out in my favor? That baby would have given her so much political capital."

Fitz stared down at the white haired man and gave him a withering look. "Has anyone ever told you that you're an asshole, Cy?"

"Every day. Why?" He shrugged, obviously unbothered by the question. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Let's get you down to hair and make-up and then in front of the press."

"I just got out of the shower and I've been doing my own hair since I was in middle school. And I don't wear make-up." Fitz informed the President's Chief of Staff.

Cyrus leaned closer. "Let's get one thing clear. You are here now because I let you in to see her earlier. Don't act like you are in charge here. You're not. I am. And when I say you need to get into hair and make-up that means go get your hair and make-up done. Now, Mr. Grant!"

Fitz huffed loudly and walked away from the older man. Cyrus was just pushing his buttons to show how big of a man he was. He shrugged out of his coat and loosened his tie while he was waiting to get his face touched up. His cell phone pinged and he pulled it from his pocket, noticing it was a text from Liv. The message said:  
_Be bold and authoritative. It'll be great_

He sent her a text back that said:  
_You'd better be in bed or I'm coming upstairs once I'm done_

In no time he had a reply.  
_You're bossy_

Grinning he ended the conversation with his reply:  
_You love it_

Cyrus appeared with a thin folder once Fitz impatiently waved away the hair and make up people. He gave it to Fitz to look over as they finished up with him. Taking it upon himself, Fitz pulled a pen from the inside breast pocket of his jacket and made a few notes before handing the papers back to Cyrus for final approval.

Finally, the three of them walked down towards the press room. They waited behind a closed door in a narrow hallway just to the right off the podium. Cyrus had to have the last word with more directions. "Keep it brief and to the point and then get your ass back in here after a few questions have been asked. It ain't rocket science."

Fitz wanted to ask the older man if it was so easy would he like to be the one delivering the news, but that would start another pissing contest and he really wasn't in the mood for that.

"Once you're done, we'll get the hell out of here." Huck told Fitz. He looked at Cyrus daring him to say otherwise, but the President's Chief of Staff avoided eye contact with the fixer's scary counterpart.

"I am well aware of how to handle the press. Thank you, Cyrus." He made eye contact with Huck and nodded once before opening the door and walking briskly to the podium.

"Good evening. I will be making a brief statement and then I'll take a few questions. At approximately six forty nine this evening a gunman began shooting at the birthday gala for the First Gentleman, William Swann. Before the gunman was shot by Secret Service, two people in attendance at the party had been shot by him."

The press corp leaned closer towards the podium with microphones or recording devices extended not wanting to miss a word.

"Mr. Graham, a long time friend and former college mate of the First Gentleman died instantly from a gunshot wound to the head. Mr. Graham lived in Nevada. He had no family to leave behind.

The other victim was that of our First Gentleman, William Swann."

The press corp got rowdy, talking loudly to each other and shouting questions in hopes to get answers from the podium. Fitz had paused speaking and waited patiently until they quieted down before he continued addressing them.

"Mr. Swann had been shot in the neck as well as the chest and was rushed to County General Hospital where the President was at his side. He was taken into surgery immediately upon arrival but died on the table as a result of the gunshot wound to his neck that had hit his carotid artery."

Anxious hands immediately went into the air, accompanied by loud voices shouting questions at Fitz. He once again stood still and said absolutely nothing until the noise subsided. Once they were quiet, Fitz called on the first journalist to ask his question. "Chris?"

"Was the President hit by any bullets?"

"No. President Pope was not shot. She only suffered a sprained wrist as a result of her Secret Service team forcing her to the floor abruptly once the shooting began. She was treated and released from the hospital."

Fitz pointed to another man. "Sean."

"What do we know about the shooter?"

"Because it's still an ongoing investigation, I am not at liberty to discuss much about him. His name was Caleb Pennington. At this time, we have no connection between him and the First Gentleman. Susan."

"Have any arrangements been made for the First Gentleman yet?"

"Our country has lost three First Ladies while their husbands were in office as President. Since Mr. Swann was our first official First Gentleman, the President has been advised to give him the same treatment as the females in his position who came before him. With that being said, Mr. Swann's funeral will be held on Monday, in the East Room. He will then be laid to rest in a family plot near his parents in Richmond, Virginia." Fitz pointed to another man and then called his name. "Jason."

"Why was the location of the birthday gala changed from the East Room to the Hamilton Hotel?"

That question had caused Fitz to momentarily pause. He remembered that question briefly floating through his head while he was in the hospital with Liv, but he'd never gotten around to asking it with all that had happened with the baby and Liv and all the tests. Fitz mentally chastised himself for not thinking to get an answer to that question. He didn't know how to answer it now and decided to go with the truth. "I'm not sure about that one, Jason but I will take that question back to the President and see if I can get you an answer."

At the back of the room, Fitz saw Cyrus giving him the wrap it up motion with his hands.

"I'm sorry, but that's all I have at this time."

He heard loud voices still asking questions even though he was almost behind a closing door to the right of the podium. They were relentless, but this time it would be a good thing. They had a name to do some digging on, and that would keep them busy for a while. Long enough for Olivia to get through the funeral.

…...…...….

Will's brother, Edward arrived at the White House from his home in North Carolina the day of the funeral. He spent some time alone with his brother's body before the service in the East Room. When he finally exited the room, he was emotional but trying to keep it together.

Fitz went to the funeral in the East Room as well but was especially careful to keep his distance from Liv during this time. He kept his eye on her either directly or in his peripheral vision. The man of God who spoke the eulogy had been the pastor of William and Edward's parents for twenty three years. It was a short but beautiful service and then Will's coffin was loaded onto Air Force One, and Olivia, Edward, and several others boarded before heading to Virginia where William would be buried. Fitz had not been invited to that gathering.

That had been three weeks ago.

Fitz had updated the press every day for a week after the shooting and then, as interest dwindled and the funeral was over, he was no longer needed. He'd never been more grateful to be back in his own office working side by side with Huck. The peace and quiet were heavenly.

Since the shooting at the First Gentleman's birthday party, things had slowed down quite a bit for the two of them. On one hand that was good. It gave Fitz more time to work on the finer points of his plan for his future with Liv as well as try to figure out why Mr. Pennington had killed Will. On the other hand, it was bad for the bills that needed to get paid.

"At this point, I might have to get a part time job." Fitz muttered.

"You could always go back to your job as press secretary." Huck suggested with a grin.

"No fucking thank you!" Fitz shot back.

"I give you a lot of shit about a lot of things, and most of it is in good fun, but you were great behind the podium. Very professional and to the point."

Huck was complimenting him? Fitz briefly wondered if the world was about to end. "Thanks, man. That's a really nice thing to..."

"I kept it on while I was banging some chick I met at the grocery store." Huck told him with a maniacal laugh.

Fitz knew it was too good to be true and threw his middle finger up at him. Huck ignored him though and went back to working on his laptop. Fitz got out of his chair and headed into his office to think some more. His mind veered from the dating plan he had been over a hundred times before to a niggling thought in the back of his mind that he couldn't shake.

Why had Will's birthday party been moved from the East Room to the Hamiton Hotel? Did that change have anything to do with the ease at which the shooter was able to gain access inside and start shooting? Was it an orchestrated plan or just bad luck? Fitz had a feeling it was the former and decided to have Huck do some digging into the matter.

When Fitz had asked Cyrus about it after the initial press address, but he had brushed it off and began nit picking the things that the fixer had done or said wrong. When Fitz had pressed the older man about the question, Cyrus had told him he'd ask the President and get back to him.

After Fitz left the conference room and went to go do whatever in the hell it was that Fitz did, Huck grabbed his laptop and headed into his own office. This task would require his full attention and he planned to give that. It took Huck no time at all to discover that the East Room had been closed for fumigating purposes the morning of the party. A memo had been sent to Secret Service a few days prior and that was when the change in venue had been made. According to the information he had found, it wasn't time for that scheduled maintenance, not for another five months. Someone had covered their tracks well and claimed to have spotted a mouse in the large gathering room. The exterminator reason seemed believable.

Apparently, there had been a good amount of grumbling made by the people who had to decorate about the change in location. While their mumbled agitation never reached the ears of the President, it did make much smaller ripples within the White House.

He brought up an image of Mr. Pennington on one of his other monitors as a reminder of what the man looked like. It was possible he had entered with some slight changes to his face. When he looked much closer at the killer, Huck didn't find much about him at all. The man was a recluse. Very low key. He had an online presence, but it was almost nonexistent.

Huck got his hands on the guest list for Will's birthday party. Naturally, there wasn't a Caleb Pennington on it. That left two options. Either the man crashed the party, got past Secret Service; with a gun no less, and acted natural for the first hour until he began shooting, or he had stashed the gun beforehand and probably used an alias. He wondered if Mr. Pennington had been brought by someone who had a beef with the First Gentleman. That was a possibility too.

Next, Huck put himself into the mind of Caleb Pennington. If he was at the President's husband's birthday party to shoot him in a public place, he would have scoped out the hotel beforehand to know the lay of the land. The hiding places. To notice where the cameras were and where they weren't. To find the perfect place for him to pull the trigger to end a life. It seemed that Huck would be making a trip to the Hamilton after all, but he wouldn't be wearing a tuxedo.

Huck got his hands on the video footage from the night of the party. He wanted to watch for Mr. Pennington's arrival. To see who he walked in with, what time he got there, and to see how he was acting. Was he cool, calm, and collected as if murdering someone in cold blood wasn't a big deal? Or was he jittery with his eyes darting all around the room like a newbie at the task? Either reaction would be a tell into the mind of this killer.

Shutting the door behind him, Huck began viewing the footage. He watched face after face walk through the door of the party, and he paused at each one to memorize their features. And then he saw him. Huck watched as Mr. Pennington walked into the party alone. He was wearing a tuxedo and looked like he fit right in with the Washington D. C. crowd.

Huck committed to memory everything he saw and considered important as his eyes darted around the computer screen to watch for interaction or for the dead man to linger near anyone at all in attendance at the party. Huck didn't notice anything other than the dangerous man standing near a small group of people to appear as if he was one of them instead of the lone wolf he actually was. It wouldn't draw suspicion to Secret Service. Smart.

He was so engaged in the video that he almost didn't hear Fitz approaching his door. Huck paused the video and looked up just as Fitz knocked sharply once on his door before opening it and poking his head inside. "Hey. Whatever you're working on, put a pin in it. We've been summoned to the White House."

Huck scowled up at Fitz who was smiling giddily. "What the fuck for?"

"It has something to do with the shooting at the party. Apparently, there's an update on the case. Come on!" This was the first time he'd been asked to come to the White House since he had wrapped up his duties as press secretary. Fitz was dying to see Liv.

The man was practically vibrating on his feet. Huck wanted to tell him to stop acting like an excited middle school kid, but he knew his boss was anxious to be around the President again.

Fitz saw his IT genius weighing the pros and cons and added a little pressure. "It'll be money to pay the bills."

"Fine, but I don't have anything to wear."

"Why do we spend so much time discussing clothing all of a sudden?" Fitz asked annoyed.

Huck looked down at his attire and then back up to his boss. "I'm wearing jeans. You don't go to the White House in jeans. It's just not done. I need to put on a suit."

"So, we have to make a trip to the Men's Warehouse before we go speak to the President now?"

"Do I look like I've ever been inside of a Men's Warehouse?" Huck asked with a scowl.

"No. You don't look like you've been inside of a shower either, but..."

"Man, shut up!" Huck interrupted.

"If you would let me finish." Fitz said with an innocent smile. He loved these verbal jabs the two of them threw at each other on a daily basis. "I was gonna say, but I know better. You don't smell bad."

"A glowing endorsement. Asshole." Huck shot back, throwing up his middle finger for emphasis. "I keep a suit here for emergencies such as this. Just give me a few minutes to change and I'll be ready to go."

"Why didn't you just say that to begin with? Hurry the fuck up so we can get going." Fitz said before practically skipping out of Huck's office.

The two men signed in at the White House less than an hour later and were waiting for the President to finish up the meeting she was involved with in the Oval. Fitz struck up a conversation with Liv's secretary, a woman named Charlotte, about the arrival of early spring as Huck rolled his eyes. The middle schooler was back. He needed that door to open soon to retain his sanity.

And then he got his wish. Several men walked out, talking amongst themselves as they went.

"The President will see you now." Charlotte politely informed them.

Fitz took a deep breath and nodded at Huck before the two of them went into the Oval Office. Olivia was sitting behind her desk writing something intently. When the door closed, she looked up, zeroed in on Fitz, and gave him a big smile before turning her attention to Huck and smiling even bigger. "I'll be right with both of you. I just need to finish this first. Please. Make yourselves comfortable."

While Olivia finished up, Huck took a seat on one of the sofas as Fitz sat across from him. He winked, then held his hands a foot apart with a wicked grin on his face, and mouthed the words, "I got a bigger smile." God, he loved fucking with the fixer. His grin doubled when Fitz flipped him off, pretending to rub his nose.

"Sorry about that." Olivia said as she made her way to them. Standing in front of him, she said, "Huck? You look very sharp in a suit. You might want to look away or close your eyes. I've missed my favorite guy lately."

Fitz tilted his head behind Liv's back to see Huck better. He shot him a super smug look and gave him a short wave as he got to his feet.

"Fitzgerald? Don't be petty." Olivia said, still looking at Huck.

Huck got to his feet and went to the window to get the hell away from the two of them.

Olivia turned around and tilted her head back to look up at Fitz. Either he looked exceptionally good today, or she had been missing him more than she realized. Either way, she was anxious to get her hands on him and they wound around his neck. "Hi."

Fitz wanted her mouth much more than her words. He dipped his head and captured her lips in a smoldering kiss. The moment his tongue invaded her mouth, he felt her fingers thread between the curls at the back of his neck. He wanted so much more, but now wasn't their time. Breaking the kiss, Fitz gave her a contented smile and said, "hi." The two of them looked lovingly at each other for several long quiet moments.

Huck broke the weird quiet by asking, "is it safe for me to come back over there now?"

Keeping her eyes on Fitz, Olivia said, "it is." She discreetly mouthed I love you before taking her seat in one of the plush chairs near him. "As I explained to Fitz, the reason I asked both of you to come to the White House is that there has been a new development in Will's death. I know that the two of you have been investigating it, trying to find out why Mr. Pennington did what he did. I appreciate your hard work and diligence to helping me get answers, but I'm going to ask you to stop now."

Both Fitz and Huck gave her a genuinely confused look. "I don't understand. Why would you want us to stop looking into it?"

"We are very close to finding a connection between the shooter and the First Gentleman. Just this morning I was l looking over the video footage from the party and I saw..." He stopped speaking when he saw Olivia lift a hand quietly in a gesture for him to stop speaking.

"I got a letter earlier this week. No return address. It was from the person responsible for Will's death."

"What?" Fitz spit the word out quickly. "You've had this letter for a few days? Why wouldn't you tell me that before now?

Huck wanted to roll his eyes at the incredibly stupid way Fitz was questioning the President of the United States. He had more important questions. "Do you still have the letter, Madam President?"

Olivia smiled and nodded as she got to her feet to retrieve the letter from her desk. "That's exactly why I invited you to come to the White House with Fitz. You are more of an analytical thinker and would get straight to the facts instead of reacting emotionally."

"Olivia?! Why wouldn't you tell me about this sooner?"

"I only got my hands on it myself last night. It had to be cleared through Secret Service first to make sure there wasn't a threat inside or a chemical weapon inside. You know the drill, Fitz." She handed the letter to Huck.

"May I look at it?" he asked.

"Please."

Fitz watched Huck interact with Liv with all of his perfect manners as if he was the King of Spain. His mind was working overtime trying to understand why she would keep this from him and what possible reason she could have for wanting the digging to be stopped.

Huck handed the letter back to Olivia when he was finished and said, "it makes sense. I understand why you are accepting this, and I have to say, knowing what I know, I completely agree, Madam President."

"Can I see the letter too?"

Olivia gave a slight shrug. "Huck asked so much nicer."

Fitz shot daggers at Huck's grinning face. "May I PLEASE look at the letter, Madam President?"

"I picked up on your hostility, but yes, you can." She handed him the letter and watched him scan it.

"This was one of the women who had an affair with Will?"

"Yes."

"The first one we found, if memory serves? Uhhh, Courtney wasn't it?"

"Yes and yes."

"In this letter, she plainly takes responsibility for orchestrating the killing of Will and how she went to great time and expense to find someone to carry out his death?"

"Yes."

"Using money that he had given her a little over eight years ago to keep quiet about their tumultuous affair?"

"Right."

"And the person she found was Caleb Pennington? The guy who Secret Service killed at the party?"

Olivia nodded.

"And you just want to let her go."

"We don't have her to let her go, but yes."

"Why?" Fitz asked.

"Because she was used by Will too. Maybe not for as long as I had been, but he definitely hurt her. I think she was in love with him once upon a time, and that eventually turned into hate once he discarded her as if she was nothing. It's a dangerous thing to hurt women like Will did. To use them like chess pieces to see how far he could get in his own little game.

I don't feel bad for her because she willingly had a relationship with a married man. And there are things that I am feeling about how all of this turned out that I can never speak out loud, no matter how much time passes. But she did apologize for having an affair with my husband, even though she knew he was an asshole. She said she could tell that Will and I were unhappy in our marriage and that she was providing a permanent out in a way where none of it could blow back on me. She said some other things as well."

He had to think. Think about all the possible ways that this could go and how he could protect Olivia down each possible path. No one was aware of the connection between Olivia and Courtney. And if it ever was discovered, none of the money could be traced to Olivia as a payout. It had been Will's doing with his own inheritance money. There was no return address for anyone to locate Courtney even if they wanted to find her. She could literally be anywhere.

Looking up at Olivia, Fitz said, "this works. With all due respect, she basically did you a favor without you having to ask for it. There is no link between the two of you in any way shape or form except one. This letter. The question is, which one of your Secret Service agents read it and who did they report it to before it got to you?"

Olivia smiled at him. He was such an intelligent man, even if his heart got in the way sometimes. "As good fortune would have it, Tom was the one who received the letter. He came straight to me with it and didn't take it to my Chief of Staff as protocol demands."

"Tom deserves a raise." Huck murmured.

"He does indeed, Huck." Olivia agreed. "And now that I know all of this, I understand why Courtney did it. He did her wrong too. Turns out he used her to get to his next conquest. It seems Will was a bad guy way before I had any inkling about it."

Fitz smiled at Olivia. "And all of that means that you will never be associated or blamed with any of this if it ever comes out."

"And that I can clear my conscious when it comes to Will. Any lingering guilt is long gone now." Olivia agreed.

"I'm very happy for you, Madam President. But I had money on you the whole time." Huck told her. "You are a lot stronger than you realize."

"Keep him." Olivia told Fitz. "Huck is good people."

"Huck is a pain in the ass." Fitz mumbled.

"This is great news all around. And forgive us for rushing out, but we have a client and need to go meet them." Huck stated.

"We do?" Fitz asked with genuine surprise.

"I'll just go make small talk with Charlotte." Cutting his eyes to Fitz, Huck gave him a stern warning. "You have one minute."

"I'm going to fire him." Fitz told Olivia as soon as the door closed behind him.

"Don't you dare." Olivia chuckled.

"I'm really happy for you. For both of us. The universe is clearing the path for the two of us to be together without any obstacles." Glancing at his watch, Fitz added, "he's not kidding about that minute. I gotta go."

"You're not leaving here without kissing me first." Olivia told him.

Fitz pulled her into his arms and wasted no time covering her lips with his own. The only thing that stood in their way was Olivia's dating life. Once that was over, the two of them would be together forever, and nothing would ever separate them.

Olivia pulled away from him, put a hand on his chest and said, "go. Huck will leave you."

"I love you, Liv. And I'll speak to you soon."

"I love you too."

Once she was alone once again, Olivia touched a finger to her lips and smiled to herself. She took the letter from Courtney and threw it into the fireplace and watched until the entire thing disappeared. There was no trace now. She went to her desk and sat in her huge leather chair and pulled the top right drawer open. Seeing the envelope that perfectly matched the one she had just watched burn, she read the second much shorter letter once again.

Madam President,  
I followed you on the campaign trail, anxious to confront  
Will about why he left me broken hearted and alone.  
Instead, I saw you with the tall handsome man who worked  
as your fixer. You were sharing a kiss in the hall of the hotel  
you were staying in. You looked perfectly in love with him.  
While you were digging into me, I was doing some digging  
of my own. I know that man is still in your life. I hope both  
of you can be happy together now. Love is too precious to hide. C

Olivia wanted Fitz to read this, but not in front of Huck. And she didn't want to be rude but not including him to be a part of it as Fitz read it. She would show it to him soon. And then it would have to be destroyed. Just like the first letter. As a very intelligent man once told her recently, sometimes waiting really is necessary.

**I was trying to find a way to wrap this up quickly in a way that makes some kind of sense instead of dragging it out. No one cared about Will anyways so no one would care if his killer sent Liv a note saying you're welcome & going free. Besides, it's LA_fangirl! You can't want her to go to jail for Will! **

** The next chapter is a six month time jump to Liv's first date after Will's death. **


	12. The Pleasure of the President

**The Pleasure of the President**

She was so nervous. It was completely ridiculous, but she was. She knew where she was going and with whom she was going there with, what she'd eat for dinner, and what time she would be home. She knew that there would be no flirting, no kissing, no interest whatsoever on her part, but still she was nervous.

Olivia was in the residence getting ready for her first first date in over nine years. The whole pretense of dating men over the course of the next six months and pretending to be interested in them as well as enjoying herself while on these dates was draining. Dating required that she keep up with the conversation. It required smiling and preening and giggling and...

She didn't have time for this! She had a country to run!

Of course, the end result was what made all of this seem...worth it somehow. Fitz was what made it all worth it. If she could wave a wand and make time skip to the end of the year, she would do it in a heartbeat. Closing her eyes, Olivia pictured the day she and Fitz could go out on a date together publicly. They could kiss and flirt and do all of the things that seemed mind numbing to her right now. So, she'd have to date a few frogs before she got her prince.

Tonight's date was with a man named Alexander Coleman. He worked as an electrical engineer for one of the largest corporations in the United States. Olivia had a feeling Fitz had handpicked this guy because he was so damn boring. Alexander probably made more money at his job than she did as the President. And wasn't that some shit?

Olivia looked at his photograph for the third time. He had dark brown hair that was parted on the side much like a well behaved second grader. His eyes were brown as well, but were behind a pair of dark rim glasses. Mr. Coleman looked more like an English professor at Harvard than someone she would find interesting enough to date. He was handsome enough. If you were into that sort of look.

She dropped his picture back onto the open file she had already memorized about Mr. Coleman and picked up her phone. Finding the picture she wanted to look at, the one of Fitz in his tuxedo, a smile slowly crossed her face. This was the sort of look she was into. Sandy colored curls. Smoky blue eyes. Yes, this was all the man she needed or wanted. She wished she could see him tonight. It had been two months and she was aching for his touch.

Huffing loudly with frustration, Olivia's finger touched his handsome face before she set her phone down and went back to getting ready for her date.

Alexander Coleman arrived at the White House in a black town car. The driver opened his door and Mr. Coleman made his way toward the closest entrance, not knowing where in the hell he was going. He was immediately met by an armed guard who asked him the purpose of his visit. He cleared his throat and confidently stated, "My name is Alexander Coleman and I'm here to take the President to dinner."

The guard spoke to a man in uniform standing nearby who in turn murmured into his wrist before giving a curt nod and informing Mr. Coleman that the President was on her way.

After telling him thank you, Mr. Coleman turned away and pulled his cell phone from the pocket of his suit pants and turned it off. He understood that he was the first date the President would be on since her husband died six months ago, and while he didn't think anything would come from this evening, he wasn't going to be the asshole whose phone went off during dinner either. He slid his finger across the top of the screen at the same time he heard a female voice behind him say, "Mr. Coleman?"

He dropped his phone into his pocket and turned around with a polite smile on his face. Mr. Coleman wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it wasn't the stunning petite woman wearing an orange dress standing about eight feet in front of him flanked by Secret Service agents. He extended his arm and said, "Madam President. It's very nice to meet you."

She took a few steps in his direction and shook his hand, trying to gauge him as a person. She didn't have enough to go on, but he seemed genuine. Trustworthy too somehow. She'd keep her guard up around him just the same. "Please call me Olivia."

"Alexander. But everyone calls me Alex."

"It's nice to meet you too, Alex. Especially under these strange circumstances."

"That is exactly what my last date said." Alex replied with smile. When he got one back from her, He offered his arm and asked, "shall we?"

"I have a good feeling about this, Alex." Olivia told him.

"See. This is already better than my last date. She never said that."

Olivia chuckled at him as they made their way to the town car parked outside. Alex opened the door for her, and Olivia slid onto the back seat. He closed the door and then went around to the other side where the driver opened the door for him, and he got in. Once they were both seated inside Olivia looked over at him and said, "I'm sure you were warned in advance, but the media will be all around us tonight. I'm sure a thousand pictures have already been taken. Just try to take it in stride. It's my first outing since my husband died and the press are going to be all over it. Literally. I'm sorry in advance for anything they may say or do while we're out."

"It'll be fine, Olivia. It's one evening." Alex replied. He didn't miss the fact that she had called it an outing and not a date. The two of them talked in the car all the way to the restaurant.

Olivia was expecting stiff and boring, but he was funny and interesting and kept the conversation going without uncomfortable lulls. Even if she didn't find him romantically of interest, she could see Alex, as he insisted on being called, as a friend. Olivia also had a feeling he and Fitz would get along very well with each other, but she was not about to introduce the man she was in love with to the man she had her first date with after her husband's death.

The two of them talked about everything, and comfortably so. Art, politics, college football, and even family. Both of them shared their strong feelings on each topic and discovered that while Olivia was an Ohio Buckeye fan, Alex was a diehard Michigan Wolverine. The two college teams were well known for their serious rivalry with each other, and this discovery lead to both of them vehemently defending their favorite team and alma mater. Shockingly, it led to quite a few laughs at the table as well.

They were always both highly aware of the media's presence surrounding them during their evening together. They smiled and laughed enough to keep the attention of the thirstiest reporters, but none of it was staged. The two of them really enjoyed each other's company.

They were also aware of exactly where the Secret Service agents were too. Things got a little interesting for both Alex and Olivia when an older couple stopped by their table to say hello. Olivia saw her agents stand at attention and start to move towards their bosses' table. She held her hand out at the agents, signaling that she was fine, and smiled at the older couple.

"I don't think you're allowed to walk up to the President's table, Marv." the older woman said.

"We're just gonna say hello." Marv grumbled to his wife. "That ain't a crime."

Olivia covered her mouth to hide the giggle that had escaped her lips. It was obvious that the couple thought they were speaking in a lower volume than they actually were. It was really adorable. "Hello."

"Oh my goodness. The President said hello." the man said to his wife with a huge grin.

"I apologize for my husband, Madam President. He's a little star struck." Martha explained. "We're Marv and Martha Godwin."

"It's very nice to meet you both, but there's no need to apologize or be star struck. I'm not that famous." Olivia said grinning.

"We voted for you, Madam President." Marv told her proudly.

"Thank you so much. I appreciate your support. Are the two of you having a nice evening?" Olivia asked.

"This is where we met sixty two years ago. Of course, back then this place was a mom and pop grocery store." Marv explained. "When it became a restaurant, date night got a lot easier to decide on."

"That's a great story, Marv. And terribly romantic." Olivia told him with a hand on her heart.

"Thank you for taking the time to talk with us, Ms. President. We're awfully sorry for interrupting your dinner." Martha told her.

"Please don't apologize. You two take care of each other. Good night." Olivia told them.

She watched the older couple exit the restaurant and after stepping foot outside, she saw the press all but pounce on them, asking all sorts of questions. Most likely about their conversation with Olivia. Turning her attention back to her table, Olivia looked over at Alex and found him smiling at her. Olivia's eyes suddenly went wide. "Shoot!" she hissed quietly. She was thankful that word came out instead of the one she had been thinking.

Alex froze and his eyes darted around their immediate surroundings. "What's the matter?" he whispered.

"I forgot to introduce you to them. I'm so sorry! I feel like an..."

He touched her arm as his smile widened. He could swear in that moment he heard a hundred camera shutters clicking. He released her arm immediately but kept his smile in place. "Please don't worry about that. They didn't come over here to meet me. They wanted to meet you."

"Still. I should have at least said your name. I really am sorry."

"Don't give it another thought. I'm just glad I was here to witness it. They give me hope. Sixty two years together. That's pretty damned amazing."

"It really is." Olivia touched his arm with a smile and said, "thank you for being so understanding."

"So, do we want dessert? Or are we watching our girlish figure?" Alex asked with a chuckle.

"It's the beginning of August, and far too late for me to be worrying about my figure. Also, I'm so busy at work that I won't see a beach for at least three and a half more years." Olivia told him.

"Maybe seven and a half." Alex added.

"Dessert it is." Olivia replied with a smile.

Meanwhile, across town, Fitz was sitting in his living room with some baseball game on the tv. The volume was high enough to be a comforting background noise, but not so loud that Huck would bitch about it if he were there. He was trying to keep himself busy with work, knowing full well exactly where Olivia was right at this moment. He assumed he was safe in his bubble from it all.

He assumed wrong.

The local news anchor's excited voice suddenly filled the room, but Fitz tuned him out. Until he heard Olivia's name mentioned. "Coming up at eleven...President Pope is out on a date tonight. Her first since the death of her husband and First Gentleman, William Swann six months ago."

Fitz's head snapped up in time to see footage of Olivia and Alexander Coleman sitting across from each other at a small table in a restaurant. His blue eyes narrowed at the sight of Olivia leaning closer to Mr. Coleman and saying something as she touched his arm.

"What the fuck is this?" he muttered as he stared intently at the television screen.

"We interviewed a couple who stopped at the President's table to say hello during her date." the anchor rattled off.

The camera panned to a snippet of a conversation with an elderly couple who appeared to be standing outside of the restaurant. "They were very sweet together. The President was wiping her mouth from kissing her handsome date when we walked up to them."

The camera was now facing the news anchor who wore smirk. "More on that story and many others. I'm Chuck Roberts. See you at eleven."

Fitz grabbed the remote and turned the television off. His voice got louder with each word spoken. "Well, guess who's not going to be getting the story when it breaks that we are getting married, Chuck! You smirking little fucker!"

His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, Fitz saw that it was Huck. He touched the screen and barked, "what?"

"I'd ask if you just saw it, but it's obvious that you did based on the asshole tone of your voice."

"Shut the fuck up. I'm in no mood for your shit right now." he growled.

"Fine. Call me when you get your head out of your ass. But just remember two very important things right now. One, the news never gets anything right. And two, she's on this date because it was your idea." Huck reminded him.

"She doesn't have to like it so much!" Fitz yelled. But Huck had already ended the call. He slid his phone back into his pocket, grabbed his keys, and walked out the door. He wasn't about to sit around here all night long to catch the highlights reel of Olivia's first date that was obviously wildly successful. He was going straight to the source.

Secret Service pulled the sleek black limousine around to the South portico and Olivia and two of her agents got out. The car disappeared around a corner while Olivia and her two protectors began to climb the stairs.

She had planned to go directly up to the residence when she got back to the White House from her date with Alex, but she didn't feel like working. She was too revved up after having a genuinely nice evening with a genuinely nice man. Olivia felt nothing remotely romantic towards Alex, but she had enjoyed herself. She had enjoyed the easy conversation and the way she simply felt like a normal woman having dinner with a friend.

Olivia had had plenty of dinners with Will when he was alive, but he always started shit or made rude comments about the people around them. One of the perks of being the President is eating alone in the residence whenever possible. As much as she hated the solitude, Olivia was grateful that dining with him without having other people in attendance was easier.

She shook off thoughts of Will. Olivia had given him more time and thought than he deserved.

Turning to her Secret Service agents Olivia said, "Tom? Jeffery?"

Both men stopped walking, clasped their hands in front of their bodies, giving her their full attention, and in unison said, "ma'am?"

They were always so perfectly in sync. Smiling, she said, "I wanted to say thank you for keeping me safe. I know being on POTUS detail is the most sought after, but it's not always dangerous or exciting."

"Ma'am." They said together. They weren't allowed to have an opinion on that and didn't voice one either.

"I know I have an amazing team of agents and I appreciate each and every one of them. But the fact of the matter is, the two of you are my favorites. You blend in without being obvious. It's why I request you more than the others and it's also why I feel more comfortable. More like myself. The two of you are very good at what you do, and I appreciate it very much."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"I'm not quite ready to go up to the residence just yet. I think I'm going to walk around for a little while down here first. But, if it's all the same to both of you, I'd rather do it alone."

"Ma'am?" They asked, surprised that she was dismissing them.

"Thank you again for keeping me safe this evening and for making my personal life a little less embarrassing. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Madam President."

She found herself at the door of the Blue Room a moment later and peered inside. Olivia loved this room, mostly because it was decorated in her favorite color and named as such. The gold accents on the rug, the walls, the drapes, and the furniture, along with the blue made this room in the White House seem much fancier than the others.

She stepped inside the room, her heels clicking on the floor until they landed on the massive plush blue and gold rug. Grinning to herself, she leaned down, slid the strap at her heel down, and removed her right shoe. Groaning at the exquisitely soft thick texture under her foot, Olivia leaned down and took off her left shoe as well and left them on the floor. Curling her toes her feet pinched the cushy fibers.

The pad of her finger ran across the smooth unmarked table in the center of the room. She wondered at the table for a moment. It seemed that every single room in the White House had one of these small round tables in it. Strange. A large arrangement of blue, white, and yellow flowers sat in a massive vase in the middle of the table.

Leaving the table behind, and making her way to the set of windows, Olivia's mind wandered to something else that was blue that she was also very fond of. As she glanced out the now shut blinds, she wondered what Fitz was doing right at this moment? As much as she enjoyed her evening with Alex, she was looking forward to getting these fake dates out of the way so she could start publicly falling in love with the man she was already in love with. She and Fitz were a good three or four months from that starting though. Every day that went by felt like it took longer than the previous one.

She missed seeing him around the White House.

Alone.

Smelling his cologne in the air long after he had exited a room and just standing there to inhale it before moving on to wherever she was supposed to be next. The looks he would give her across a room. Not just the sexy lust filled glances, but the way he innocently licked his lips a dozen times during a conversation without realizing it. It turned her on more than she could ever admit to anyone else. Especially him.

She missed the way Fitzgerald Grant III strode into a room with purpose. His arms swung back and forth with his hands clenched almost into fists. His thick muscular legs took long measures strides and his hips seemed to keep the beat to the song that his body played perfectly. It was a damn shame that his suit jackets covered his ass. What she wouldn't give to play some music with him now.

These days if anything needed fixing Cyrus called Fitz himself and the two of them met together or he was in a group of people if Olivia had to be present. She missed her one on one time with him.

She sighed heavily as the door behind her closed loudly. She looked over her shoulder to see who was disturbing her peace and quiet.

She stopped breathing. Her eyes slowly traveled from the unruly curls on his head to the annoyance on his face. She quickly wondered what that was all about? Promising to ask him about it later, Olivia's eyes dipped down over the dress shirt that had the top two buttons opened without a tie, over his chest where she knew a six pack of well defined abs were hiding. Her gaze lingered on his crotch where she stared openly for a long time before bringing her eyes up to his face. After successfully eye fucking him, she smiled and practically ran to him.

She had to get up on her tip toes without the aid of her heels, but Olivia wound her arms around his neck, and tried to bring him down for a kiss. "I missed you."

Her excitement was short lived when Fitz stiffened his neck and pulled back from her. "Really, Liv?" he asked in a doubt laced voice.

She looked up at him and said, "of course I did. Why would you ask me something like that?"

The anger he was feeling was intense. He pried her arms away from his neck and took a few steps back from her to put some space between them. Here she was looking up at him with confusion clearly written on her face. His eyes took her in from where he stood three feet away.

She was gorgeous just standing there in her sleeveless orange dress, no shoes, with her beautiful smile faltering and her big expectant brown eyes trying to figure out what was going on. He was pissed off beyond comprehension, but he wanted her more than his next breath.

He stared at her for what felt like an eternity, while his brain weighed the pros and cons of having her right here, right now. When Fitz couldn't come up with a single con, his feet began to move. With determination on his face, Fitz quickly closed the gap between them. One hand came up and cupped her cheek as the other one wrapped around her waist before dipping some to grip her ass possessively.

Fitz roughly pulled her face close to his for a passionate kiss. Once his lips touched Olivia's, his tongue wasted no time eagerly sliding into her mouth. A deep groan mixed with satisfaction and pure male need vibrated in his throat, and still he took what he wanted from her. He began walking her backwards as his mouth continued its assault on hers.

Olivia didn't know what the hell he was so mad about, but she didn't really care right now. It had been far too long since she had been in Fitz's arms. Even longer since she had felt him handle her so impatiently. It probably would have brought panic out in another woman, but Olivia wasn't another woman. She was well aware that he was reacting to something she had done or said earlier. Whatever it was, she would do it all over again knowing his fingermarks would be on her skin tomorrow. Olivia's arms came around his neck and she pressed her body impossibly close to his. She wanted more.

He knew she thrived on him treating her so mercilessly. She had voiced it to him the last time he had mindlessly done it. She had said that she didn't want to be hurt by him, but she found it incredibly sexy when he was fully in control. He didn't like being in the mindset of anything other than cool, calm, and collected. He thrived best when he was being analytical. Anything else felt messy to him. But right now, messy was feeling like a good way to release some tension.

When he felt Olivia's lithe fingers tugging on the small white buttons on his shirt, he reluctantly tore his mouth from hers. She looked confused and full of pent up need. Maybe a little bit pissed off too. Giving her a scowl, he grabbed her hand, pushing it away and angrily told her, "no! You don't get to touch me!"

"What?" She snapped incredulously. "Why the hell not?"

They were standing toe to toe, and while Olivia was much shorter without the aid of her heels, that didn't stop her from acting big. The two of them glared angrily at each other in silence until Fitz simply said, "you know damned well why not!"

"I'm afraid I don't. Enlighten me." she replied in an exasperated tone.

Instead of answering her, Fitz squatted in front of her. Splaying his large hands on her ankles, they casually made their way up over her toned calves and the bend behind her knees. His head tilted back, and he looked up at Olivia as the texture of her dress grazed across the top of his hand. She was so fucking sexy standing there breathing hard, knowing that he was about to destroy her. He was having a difficult time making her wait while hurrying to get to the prize.

As her chest heaved at the feel of his fingers on her skin, Olivia locked eyes with his brilliant blue ones and dared him to look away. Whatever he was mad about would be discussed later. This moment was for action and it seemed Fitz had a plan. He was going to orally torture her. She couldn't wait and willed him to move faster with a look. Olivia reached a hand down to grab a fistful of his hair, and his hands froze on her skin as he kept eye contact with her. She withdrew it immediately, remembering his warning to not touch him, for fear he would stop altogether.

His hands returned to their quest, the orange material riding higher up her thighs as they went. When Fitz reached the top of her legs, his large hands left her outer thighs and wandered around to her well toned presidential ass. He squeezed her cheeks roughly as his eyes bored into her darkening brown ones. He really couldn't wait any longer.

Letting go of her flesh, Fitz grabbed the edge of her dress and swiftly jerked it up to her waist. His gaze left hers for a second to focus on what Olivia was wearing underneath her dress. What he saw made him momentarily falter. When his eyes finally traveled back up to hers, he angrily asked, "why are you wearing these on a date with another man?"

She wondered what was going to break his concentration. Leave it to something stupid such as underwear. She smiled patiently at Fitz and then she enlightened him as her dress fell back in place. "As you may recall, I wasn't fan of this ridiculous idea of me dating strange men to begin with. Is that ringing a bell for you, Fitz?"

"Liv," He spoke her name in a low warning tone. His anger was bubbling dangerously close to the surface.

"Since we agreed that it had to be done for the greater good, I decided that I would somehow incorporate you into all of my..." she lifted her fingers and made the air quotes signal with her index and middle fingers as she continued. "...dates. I wanted you close to me in a way that no one else would know about, so I wore these baby blue lace panties you bought for me a long time ago."

She crossed her arms and sent him a smug look. "Are you done being jealous now?"

"Not even close!" He pulled the thin blue material down with both hands until it was at her feet. His eyebrows rose as she looked down at him defiantly, and then relented and stepped out of them. He stuffed them into his pocket, pointed at something behind Olivia, and gave her a command. "Sit your ass down in that chair, Madam President. I would say keep quiet, but we both know that's not going to happen."

Olivia decided if he wanted to be an ass, she would make it difficult for him to control himself. She hiked her dress up until it was around her waist once again, and sat on the edge of the chair. When she saw Fitz get comfortable on his knees, she casually lifted one leg and let it dangle over the arm rest of the chair. She felt a rush of power when she watched his blue eyes zero in on her bare center with laser like focus as he licked his lips. Fitz grabbed the legs of the chair and pulled it closer towards himself.

He wasn't going to waste time starting off slowly. His tongue was out before he was close enough to taste her. Once it finally landed on her hot flesh, he was relentless. Fitz easily whipped her up to a frenzied peak and then shoved her over the edge and watched her fall.

She was breathing hard and her eyes were closed. Her hands were in fists, probably the only way Olivia could keep herself from reaching out and touching him. He was starting to miss the feel of her hands on his body, or in his hair, tugging on her beloved curls. Why did he get so bent out of shape?

Because that fucker on the news claimed that Olivia had kissed the asshole she went to dinner with! That's why!

The anger settled on him once more like a dark cloud. He doubled his efforts and had her whimpering his name as quietly as she could manage. He knew anyone walking down the halls could hear her. He didn't give a shit. When Olivia was right there, teetering on the line between sanity and the blissful abyss, he pushed away from her and got to his feet. He grabbed the fabric square from his pocket and wiped his mouth as he walked to the door. He pulled it open, walked out of the room without a word, and closed the door behind him.

Now Olivia was mad. Pissed off really. How dare he leave her hanging like that?! Frustration seeped out of every pore! He would pay for that shit! It took her a minute, but Olivia yanked the hem of her dress over her legs and smoothed it down as best she could. She angrily smacked the chair back against the wall and went to look for his crazy ass on shaking legs.

She glanced one way down the hall and then the other way. There was no sign of him. There was no sign of anyone. That was good. It meant no one had heard her enjoying what Fitz had been doing to her. They would probably hear her screaming at him once she found him. She picked a direction and began walking. She was about to pass the Red Room in the White House when an arm reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into it.

A yelp escaped her lips until a familiar large hand covered her mouth and shoved her face first up against a wall. Olivia tried to turn around to give him hell for leaving her wound up in such a needy worked up way, but he wasn't letting her move.

Fitz grabbed the hem of her dress and roughly pulled it back up around her waist. He ground his crotch against her bare ass and was pleased when he immediately felt her push back against him. His brain was starting to make him feel bad for leaving her hanging in the Blue Room, so he reached around and began to work her over with his fingers. She quickly turned into a writhing, begging, ball of need.

"Please...don't stop this time." she whined.

He got harder with every word she spoke. He felt her hips move against his fingers as she panted, and still she didn't touch him. They would have to talk about everything later to make things right between them again. But first, he had to give the President an orgasm. And then he had to give her what she really wanted. "Come on, Liv. Don't hold out on me. You know you want to let go." He licked the shell of her ear, "Do it now!" Fitz commanded.

She came apart against his fingers. Her head rested heavily against his shoulder as she tried to catch her breath. Her throat was dry, the room felt as if it had no air, but there was nowhere she'd rather be. "That's a little better. Thank you" she said still panting.

"Why the formality, Liv? I'm about to take you up against the wall right here in the Red Room." Fitz was feeling powerful, almost invisible right now, as he unzipped her dress and watched it pool to the floor under her. A flick of his finger had her bra landing on top of her dress. As he unbuckled his belt and pulled his dress pants and underwear down over hips, he watched Liv pick up her dress and lay it over the back of a nearby chair. His crotch twitched at the sight of her perfect little body.

Olivia stood in front of Fitz and gave him a warning of her own. "If you don't finish the job, I'll have you arrested for treason."

He shot her a grin before leaning forward and kissing her thoroughly. Resting his forehead on hers, he replied, "I've missed you too."

Fitz scooped Olivia up into his arms and pressed her back up against the wall as their mouths stayed fused together. He didn't resist or say anything when Olivia wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She was glad he was over the insane notion of her not touching him. He flexed his jaw at the feel of her skin against his own. Somehow it always felt like home and he couldn't wait until they could have this every day for the rest of their lives out in the open.

His patience had finally reached its end. Fitz slammed his hips forward in one quick movement, pushing himself all the way into her. They both groaned loudly and held each other a little tighter. Nothing was better than this feeling of being so intimately joined. He swiveled his hips once and easily held her in place against the bright red wall. "S'been too long, Liv" he admitted with his face in the crook of her neck.

Olivia hugged him tighter. It was always too long since the last time they were together. If she was feeling it, it was natural that he was feeling it too. Cupping his cheeks, she pulled him from her neck and gave him a smile. "It won't be long now. Six months tops."

Fitz groaned. He looked around the harshly painted room and made his way to a small table nearby. He set her down on the edge of it and began hammering into her. Olivia's fingernails dug into his back a little deeper every time he thrust into her. It wasn't long before both of them were breathing heavily and the only sound in the room was of their contented moans.

And then the table broke.

Olivia yelped and Fitz grabbed her before she could fall right along with it. She clung to him as the two of them stared at the small pile of broken wood with wide eyes. And then they began to laugh together. Oliva covered her mouth and asked, "what if someone heard that?"

He shrugged. "Then they heard it. And they can clean it up after we leave. Now, may I please finish debriefing you Madam President?"

"I don't remember it being quite so sexy when you call me that before."

"That's because I've never had you naked in the Red Room before." He firmly held onto her ass and plopped them down on a red and gold sofa nearby. "Do you think you could take over for a minute?"

"Are you getting too old?" Olivia teased.

"Excuse me? I just rescued your narrow ass from a tumble on the floor. I just thought you'd want to thank me for it?" He was a bit out of breath, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Oh my goodness. What would I have done without you? My hero." Olivia gushed dramatically. She grinned down at him and watched him grin back. "I love your crazy ass."

"The way I love your ass is crazy." Fitz told her and squeezed it roughly again until Olivia whimpered. "Why are you so sexy when you're straddling me?"

"Stop talking." She leaned down and kissed him as her hips began to move. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and began to dance with his as Fitz's hands became more possessive and gripped her flesh more firmly. "Feels...so...good."

He grunted in agreement and leaned forward, pulling one of her nipples into his mouth. He sucked hard, turning the bud stiff in his mouth before releasing it and giving the other one the same treatment as she continued to ride him.

"Fitz, Fitz, Fitz." Olivia chanted breathlessly. God, she loved his gifted mouth on her body. It was stimulation overload and she needed more of it.

As if reading her mind, Fitz released her nipple and his tongue blazed a trail across her overheated skin towards her collar bone. It led him up the column of her neck, where he stopped to very lightly suck on the skin there, causing Olivia to squirm on his lap and crane her neck to give him better access. "Mmmm" he hummed against her skin.

His lips reluctantly left her neck before he put an unexplainable mark there and moved up to her ear. He sucked gently on her earlobe before whispering into it. "I want you to take charge of me right now, Liv. Fuck me up."

Her body responded naturally and immediately to his request. Putting her hands on his shoulders, Olivia planted her feet beside his thick hairy thighs and started bouncing on his lap like a possessed woman. Her thighs burned from the exertion, but it was a delicious feeling of accomplishment she'd get from no other workout.

The power they willingly shared in these moments was all consuming and precious to her at the same time. Knowing that she could make her sexy fixer moan or beg, depending on what she did to him was drug like no other. Knowing she could have him however and whenever she wanted in the very near future was all the determination Olivia needed. She looked down at the man under her who was begging right now. He had a bad case of bed head, his eyes were half closed, and his breathing was ragged. He was sexy when he was under her spell. She leaned down and bit his bottom lip before continuing to ride him into oblivion.

"Fuck, Liv...Just like that. Please...More." He was breathing hard and trying like hell to hold onto her slick skin. It was useless because his own hands were slick with sweat. His tiny little temptress was working him over and his entire body felt amazing. He could feel his end rapidly approaching and didn't want to leave her wanting this time. He reached a hand down between them and once again played her body like an instrument.

Olivia was panting, her legs were on fire from using the muscles so strenuously, and her mouth was mumbling something unintelligible as she neared her own peak. "Yessssss...Oh god yes!" she screamed as finally, finally she plummeted into the beautiful serenity. She sagged against his chest and felt Fitz's arms come around her back and hold onto her as he thrust into her a few more times and then joined her in serenity.

"Holy fuck!" he breathed out as his chest heaved wildly. His body felt like an inferno, but he couldn't get close enough to Liv. "That was incredible. Your dating life is going have amazing benefits."

"I'm not complaining, but what brought on this insane jealousy coupled with the ridiculous demand that I not touch you? As if I'd go along with that one quietly." It felt good to rest her head on his chest.

"I was at home, minding my own business and trying to keep myself occupied, knowing exactly where you were when this asshole news guy...Chuck somebody starts talking about your date. He shows a snippet of some old couple they interviewed at the restaurant."

"The Godwins." Olivia added with a smile.

"Yea. Anyways. Mr. Godwin tells the camera that you were wiping your mouth from kissing Alexander when they walked up to your table."

Olivia quickly lifted her head and exclaimed, "what?!"

"My thoughts exactly."

"But...I didn't! I wouldn't! The thought of kissing Alex is just..."

Fitz cocked his head to the side and his eyebrows practically disappeared into his hairline. "I'm sorry. Alex?"

Olivia gave him an impatient look of her own. "Yes, Alex. He prefers to be called that."

"I'll bet he does." Fitz retorted dryly, feeling the jealousy begin to bubble to the surface again before he tempered it down. "I'm sorry. They also showed you touching his arm and laughing and I...Well, I guess I got jealous when it was forced into my living room while I was avidly trying to avoid it. I know now you didn't kiss him. It was a gut reaction."

Olivia laid her head back on his chest, needing the connection. "I'm sorry, Fitz. Really. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I would never do that on purpose. I was just doing my part to make it look convincing for the cameras."

His fingers were tracing imaginary shapes on her back. He knew they would have to part again soon. He was glad they had talked through everything. "I know, and again, I'm sorry. It was just a little harder for me to see than I imagined. It won't happen again."

She lifted her head and sent him a mischievous grin. "You could come to the White House after each one of my dates."

His fingers halted their drawing as he felt himself hardening. "Are you missing me that much? Or is this the sex starved president talking?"

"Both" she admitted.

Fitz gripped her back and in one quick movement had her flat on it as he hovered over her. Sliding into her, he said, "I serve at the pleasure of the President."

**When I started research on the White House and discovered there is a Red Room in it, this was GOING to happen somehow! Blame my inner Christian Grey.**

**I think we all get jealous from time to time, or have been before. I wrote it from his POV as the fixer and man in waiting. He's not going to be an insecure person in this story or get jealous all the time, but sometimes it rears it's ugly head & has to be dealt with.**


	13. Plus One

**Plus One**

Olivia had dated five men in six months. They were labeled as dates no matter how successful or unsuccessful they had gone because that was how it was supposed to appear to the public. The President of the United States was getting back into the dating game while she ran the country. Everyone had an opinion on that, and they ran the gamut from bold and interesting to pathetic and needy, depending on which channel you were watching.

Each man typically got one date, but there had been a few exceptions. Some dates didn't make it all the way to the end of dinner, and some of them flew by and were over before she even realized it. Two of the men got a second date with Olivia, but that had just been for optics. To make sure her dating life looked real and not like the well planned out thing that it was and fed to the public.

Alex and Olivia had gone to dinner three times. Olivia really enjoyed being in his company. Just like she enjoyed the easy and natural way the conversation flowed between them as if they had known each other for years instead of months. He was a genuinely good person who understood the circus that Olivia's personal life had turned into. He made her laugh freely, without reservation. Olivia knew if she wasn't the President of the United States, the two of them could easily become good friends who spent a normal amount of time together as friends do.

Alex also challenged her mentally and made her think. But he never made her feel small or that her opinion didn't matter. He had a way of putting Olivia completely at ease when they had dinner together. Their time together never felt like the thing is was projected onto the American public. An awkward date. At the end of each and every one, Olivia would call Fitz and the two of them would talk about any and everything.

There had also been Lorenzo Thomas, the software developer. He had been pompous and self absorbed. His opinion of himself was higher than the space station. He had so much to say about himself that eventually Olivia stopped talking altogether, besides a few nods or sounds of agreement at the appropriate times. She was polite throughout the beginning of the evening, but one touch of her elbow had Tom heading towards their table. He apologized profusely and told Olivia that she was needed at the White House immediately. Lorenzo had risen to his feet to tell her goodbye. He held her hands in his and leaned forward in her direction with his lips puckered. She didn't know how to tell him that was not going to happen, and instead, at the last minute, she apologized once again before Tom whisked her to the waiting limousine. She had never been so happy to be out of someone's presence.

"You're a life saver, Tom. Thank you." She was grateful that he had come up with the secret code for get me the hell out of there now!

"Just doing my job ma'am." he replied, looking straight ahead. Tom never wanted to punch a man in the face more than the one who had taken his boss to dinner tonight.

Marcus Jordan had been another once around the block kind of date. He was dashingly handsome. He had black hair and brown eyes and was easily over the six ft tall mark. Marus had made jokes in the car that had actually made Olivia laugh. He was doctor at a nearby hospital with a thriving practice. The two of them were seated at a table in the middle of the restaurant with all eyes glued to them.

She was wondering how this successful, funny, and handsome man was still single when his phone dinged. It was face down on the table in front of him. At first, he ignored it. But it wasn't long before Olivia noticed that Marcus' anxious gaze kept shifting from her down to his phone. Knowing his profession, Olivia knew it could be important and that maybe he didn't know how to tell her he needed to interrupt their date to see what it was. "If u need to check that, it's completely..."

He snatched his phone from the table before Olivia could finish her sentence. "Thank you for understanding."

"Of course." she told him. "It could be a patient or the hospital. Something really important."

He smiled at her as his fingers moved across the screen at lightning speed. "It's not a patient or work. It's my mother."

"Oh." Olivia replied, putting her glass down. "Is she alright?"

"She's fine. Just checking up on how my date with the president is going." he said with a smile.

"Awww, that's nice. What are you telling her?"

"That you are a little nosey."

Olivia giggled. And then realized that wasn't kidding.

"She said that's not a lady like quality." Marcus informed Olivia with his eyes still on his phone.

"Oh." Olivia touched her elbow repeatedly. She was in the car in under two minutes. Dating was brutal these days and she was glad that she was almost at the place where she could begin to date Fitz. A smile covered her face at the thought of it. All of the touches and smiles would be the real deal when the cameras caught them. Only a month to go.

"Madam President?"

Cyrus' words cut through her fog filled brain. She flicked her bored eyes up to his and apologized. "I'm sorry Cyrus. What were you saying?"

Had he just caught her day dreaming? Cyrus resisted the urge to sigh loudly, and in a barely contained voice said, "Mr. Contreras' is due to arrive this week. We were going over the itinerary for his visit."

"Right. He will be here on Thursday and will stay until Sunday morning." Olivia recalled from memory. She and Cyrus were in his office discussing the upcoming week and what her schedule looked like.

"Correct. We are hosting a dinner in the East Room in honor of his visit on Saturday evening at seven. You will need to have a date for that. Maybe you could ask Mr. Coleman. The press can't get seem enough of the two of you together." Cyrus commented as he studied the schedule in front of him.

The truth of the matter was, Cyrus was secretly cheering for Mr. Coleman to be the one to take up residency in the President's heart. They were perfect together, and the Chief of Staff just knew they would poll well together with the public. Hell, America was well on its way to being in love with him already. She seemed more like herself when she was with him, or talking about him. She deserved to be happy, as long as her job came first. Snapping himself out of his own daydream he added, "also, you'll need to make a few remarks about the visit and how talks are going between the two of you. Keep it light and entertaining. Just like the visit itself..."

His voice droned on, but Olivia's attention had stopped on the one aspect of Cyrus' monologue that looked like a window. A window she was planning to crawl through. "He's out of town this week."

Cyrus lifted his head and scowled at his boss. "I'm sorry. Who is out of town this week?"

"Alex." The more her brain ran with the idea, the more confident Olivia was feeling about it. "He's out of town this week for work."

Cy waved a hand dismissively in front of his face. "That's fine. Just choose someone else to go with you to the dinner. Someone who has already been vetted."

"I have someone in mind, and he's certainly been vetted." Olivia commented under her breath.

"Okay, I heard that. What are you up to?" he asked with an eye roll.

"Nothing" Olivia said dismissively.

"Madam President, my job is to manage the flow of information and protect your interests. You're up to something and I need to know what it is in order to do my job effectively. Who has been vetted?" That sounded professional instead of nosey. The woman was definitely up to something.

One day she would remember to keep her mumbling silent around her Chief of Staff. Perhaps it was time to let him know she was moving her own time line up a bit. "I was referring to Mr. Grant. I'm going to ask him to be my plus one to the dinner in honor of the Prime Minister's visit."

"No ma'am. You're not!" he bellowed.

"I think you need to calm down, Cyrus. That vein in your neck is bulging. That can't be a good thing."

"Listen to me ma'am..." Cyrus began.

"No! You listen. I'm not some lackey you can order around whenever the whim strikes you. I am your boss. I know that you aren't one hundred percent on board with the idea of Fitz and I dating publicly, but that's not my problem. It's yours."

Cyrus shoved his chair back and got to his feet. He yanked on his hair while his boss rambled about her dating life.

"I have done everything that was asked of me when it came to my personal life. I hated it, but I did my part because we were on the same page that the endgame was Fitz and I being a couple out in the public eye. Now that the reality of that is almost here, you think you are going to drag your feet? I won't have it!"

Was that a chest pain? She was going to be the death of him. "The plan still has four weeks until that ridiculous notion can even begin."

"It's called an adjustment. I make them every single day on my job. All I'm asking is for you to make one for me."

"Fine! But if the American people don't accept your new leading man, it won't be my fault. There is a right way to introduce the man you plan on spending the rest of your life with to the nation." Cyrus hoped if he pumped enough negativity into her idea that she would doubt herself and drop it.

"Cyrus, I'm not going to begin dating Fitz this week. I'm simply talking about asking him to be my plus one to this dinner. We will refrain from kissing at the table if it makes you feel better?"

"Ohhhhh, this is funny to you?"

"No."

"It's your legacy! You don't get to skip all over that and act like it's no big deal. You are the first female president. Every single thing you do or say is written down or photographed and picked apart by hundreds of people. Something as important as moving up your dating status is important, Madam President."

"I'm well aware of how my life is dissected and discussed by strangers who don't know me. But it's MY life! And I will NOT live it in a bubble to make other people happy. I deserve to be happy too, and Fitz makes me happy. So, I will be inviting him to join me to the dinner on Saturday night. I don't want to hear another word about it."

Cyrus clamped his mouth closed and took his seat once again until the meeting was over. He'd throw something across the room later. Or yell at someone. He had to release this frustration somehow!

Once Olivia left Cy's office, she made a beeline to her own. She picked up her cell phone from on top of her desk and scrolled through her contacts until she got to the letter F. She touched the word Fixer and waited for him to answer. Her heart beat a little faster when she heard that deep rich baritone voice of his say, "Fitzgerald Grant. Can I help you?"

The flirty smile was on her face before she could even think up a comeback. "I'm sorry I think I have the wrong number. I was trying to reach a man named Huck."

"You'd think the President of the United States would have better jokes."

"I'm not kidding. I need a date to a fancy dinner this Saturday and I was going to ask Huck to join me." Olivia replied. When he didn't answer, she asked, "are you still there?"

"Hullo?"

Olivia covered her mouth with her hand. Fitz had given his phone to Huck. "Hey, Huck. This is Olivia. How are you this afternoon?"

"I'm fine, Madam President. What can I do for you?"

"Do you have eyes on Mr. Grant?"

Huck flicked his gaze over to his boss who was pacing while watching him like an eagle. He smiled at him and answered her question. "I do."

"I called because I wanted to invite him to a dinner we are having at the White House this Saturday evening, but he thought he'd be funny instead."

"Humor isn't his strong suit" Huck said plainly.

"I agree." Olivia chuckled. "Let's let him think I have invited you to go with me instead."

"I'd be honored to be your plus one." Huck replied, playing his part, as his boss went ape shit.

"Oh, Huck. There's a reason why you are my favorite man at Grant and Associates."

"I'll see you at precisely six forty five, Ms. Pope. I have to go now. Mr. Grant is trying to snatch the phone out of my hand." Huck's laughter faded as Fitz must have gotten the phone away from him.

Olivia covered her mouth again to stifle her laughter.

"What the hell was that, Liv? Do you know how big of a pain in the ass he's gonna be to work with now?" Fitz whined.

"She said I'm her favorite man at Grant and Associates." Huck said laughing in the background.

"You said that?" Fitz accused.

"Stop being so immature." she teased.

"Immature? If I was immature, I wouldn't be able to make you moan my name repeatedly while I played your body like a violin."

Okay, that came out of nowhere! He needed to stop talking. He was going to get her all worked up with no way to release it. "You don't know how to play the violin."

"I know how to play your body though, don't I" he murmured.

"You really shouldn't be talking like that with Huck standing right there." she reminded him.

"I would never disrespect you by talking about our personal life and the things we do to each other in front of anyone. Huck included. I've locked myself in my office away from his precious ears." He put his feet up on his desk and leaned back in his chair. He missed her more than he realized. "Just one month left to go until our first official date. Are you ready?"

"The question is are you ready?" She challenged.

"I've been ready. You want to go out tonight? We'll go. There's a bowling alley I've been dying to check out." He was tired of waiting for their time to arrive.

"Really?" she asked in a doubt laced voice. "So, if I said there was an event this week that I needed a date for, you'd be good to go with me?"

"Absolutely."

"Perfect. I have an event at the White House on Saturday night, and I need a date. Cyrus suggested I ask Alex, but I thought it felt like the perfect opportunity for a formal friendly dinner. There won't be any chance of the two of us making out in a coat check closet or sending lusty glances at each other."

"That's too bad. You know how I love to get you worked up in that big White House." he told her with a smirk. "If I get to be your date this week for an official White House dinner it must be for Mr. Contreras's visit."

"That's the one. It's formal, but not black tie. You know the drill."

"You want me to wear the navy suit?" He asked, even though he was confident in the answer.

"I was thinking a black suit this time. But you do look very handsome in blue."

"It makes my eyes pop too, I've been told." he said with a grin.

"Have you? Someone is very observant."

"It was Huck." he told her with a chuckle.

"It was not!" Olivia argued.

"Swear to God. The night I left you at the hospital to address the press corp. That's what he told me when I was trying to pick out a suit to wear."

"I think I love Huck a little more than I did five minutes ago." she admitted.

"You are taken."

"I'd like to be." she told him breathlessly.

"Name the surface and I'll be there, but be careful what you wish for Madam President." Fitz warned. "The moment you name it I will be there to take you. Just the way you like it too."

She was practically biting her tongue in half. She really didn't have time to be playing come and get me with Fitz tonight. She had an early morning meeting tomorrow and she needed to get some sleep. The other half of her brain could practically feel his hands on her overheated skin, and the lust almost took over her sanity. Damn him! "I have to go, Mr. Grant. I'll see you Saturday night. Come prepared. You just might find yourself on a surface of my choosing before the week is over."

"I'm always prepared to come." Fitz threatened in a low threatening voice. He ended the call before her conflicted voice had him breaking the speed limit on his way to the White House.

***********  
Fitz exited a shiny black town car at the south portico at precisely six thirty on Saturday night. He buttoned the jacket of his black suit, as requested, as he briskly made his way up the stairs towards the door. As soon as he made it to the first landing, he took a moment to look around. The flowers looked beautiful as they grew on the other side of the stairs. Their scent made him want to pick a pretty handful for Liv. Telling himself there would be plenty of time for that soon enough, Fitz continued on his way.

He was greeted by an armed guard and Secret Service before he was led toward the Oval Office. Once there, Fitz was told by Charlotte that the President would greet him in her office momentarily. He grinned before sitting down on a surface he had already had Olivia on. The sofa.

Two minutes later, Olivia stepped inside her office. She watched Fitz immediately rise to his feet and button his jacket before his eyes took her in. When it came to Fitz, Olivia didn't have a shy bone in her body, and after a minute under his laser like gaze, she did a slow spin in front of him. She heard a low growl when her back was too him. She took that as a sign that he liked what he saw.

She looked like perfection in that dress. It was a sleeveless ivory that went just past her knees. There was a wide band of black lace at her waist that drew his eyes there instantly. Well, when he wasn't checking out her ass. Fitz was already wondering how he was going to keep his hands off of her during dinner. It was going to be a long night, but at least they'd be together. It was a start.

When she was looking him again, Olivia watched the inner conflict play out on his face. "You look very handsome."

"Thank you. As do you."

"Are you alright? The expression on your face says something is off."

"I'll be fine. You look absolutely stunning in that dress. I'm just trying to figure out how I am going to refrain from touching you tonight."

"You'd better figure out something quick because I have had enough of terrible dates lately."

"Oh, I'm not a terrible date." he said confidently.

"No?"

He shook his head back and forth. "I am a fantastic date."

"If I close my eyes, I could swear you're a doctor with a thriving practice who loves his mother above all else."

"I apologized for that one already, Liv. I can admit that a bad apple slipped past my rigorous inspection."

She shot him a look and asked, "how's my friend, Huck?"

"Uh uh! We are not talking about him. He has been the biggest pain in my ass all week."

"What has that sweet man said to you?"

"He's only sweet when you're around. And he's teased me about being your back up date. He's reminded me an infinite number of times that he is your favorite man at Grant and Associates."

Olivia giggled.

"I'm thinking of getting rid of my only associate."

"Don't you dare!"

"Let's not talk about terrible previous dates or irritating co-workers anymore tonight." Fitz said, looking down at her with a grin.

Olivia wound her arms around his neck wearing a grin of her own. "Deal. Now kiss me."

He wasted no time dipping his head and connecting their lips in a soft gentle whisper of a kiss. He was trying very hard to keep it that way. To not mess up her lipstick or her hair or whatever else women worried about. He was failing miserably, and quickly broke the kiss, taking a step back from her.

She took a step forward, closing the gap and smiled up at him. "I hate that we have to be careful, but the day is quickly coming when we won't have to be. Since that isn't today, we should get out of here."

Fitz grinned back and offered her arm. "Shall we?"

The two of them walked into the East Room side by side. They were photographed by a swarm of reporters who were quietly buzzing about the two of them. Fitz heard some of it. You'd have to be deaf not to. They whispered about what the two of them looked like together, if they were a couple, to how beautiful Olivia was. It all mattered to him because it reflected on her.

He kept a polite smile on his face as Olivia led them to their table. Everyone in attendance stood in front of their chair and watched as Olivia went to the head of the table and stand in front of hers. She glanced around the room with a smile on her face. "Gostaria de dar as boas-vindas a todos voces na Casa Branca, especialmente nossos amigos do oeste de Angola."

The Prime Minister of West Angola let out a sound of unexpected surprise and nodded his head once in Olivia's direction. Fitz began to applaud, and the rest of the room, with the exception of Mr. Contreras followed his lead.

Olivia lifted both hands for a moment, palms out, before clasping them in front of her. "That was my attempt at the beautiful Portuguese language. What I said was, I'd like to welcome you all to the White House, especially our friends from West Angola."

She looked at her guest, the Prime Minister and added, "I hope I didn't botch it too terribly?"

Her words were translated by a man who sat near the Prime Minister. The guest of honor locked eyes with the President and spoke in his native tongue. The translator's smile faltered and he appeared hesitant, but then turned to face the petite woman in charge of the country he was visiting. If he didn't say exactly what his boss had just spoken to him, he would likely be killed. If he did repeat it, he would offend the President. He had no choice. "The Prime Minister said your Portuguese needs work. With a few lessons you should have a much better grasp of the language, Madam President."

Fitz flicked his blue eyes over to the visiting Prime Minister who had just effectively embarrassed the leader of the free world. Not only had he done so in front of other guests, he had done it in the White House. Fitz wanted to kick Mr. Contreiras' smug ass. Instead, he kept his facial expression blank and waited for Olivia to take care of it herself. She would be much more effective anyways.

Olivia hadn't been surprised by the Prime Minister's words. Since his arrival late Thursday evening he had been full of condescending words to her, he had cut her off in the middle of more than one sentence, and he had been downright rude to her. She had a feeling it was because he wasn't comfortable with a woman being in power. That was too damn bad. She had had enough of his attitude. Since he was going back home early tomorrow morning, she decided it needed to be dealt with.

Knowing all eyes would be on her right now to see how she handled herself, Olivia chose her words carefully. Mr. Contreiras was known for comments such as these and for that reason Olivia had learned a whole lot more than one welcoming phrase since she had heard of his visit. "Suas maneiras tambem preisam funcionar, senhor."

The translator wiped his forehead with his napkin. It seemed Ms. Pope was no shrinking violet when it came to the male chauvinistic ways of his boss. His loyalties were with the Prime Minister, but he was secretly cheering on the US President. She was tiny in stature but she was a big force to be reckoned with.

A small smile crossed the Prime Minister's face. Mr. Contreiras believed women had no place in politics. That it was a job for men, who thought rationally and clearly but the fiery little woman who stood before him could very well be the exception. She was the most powerful person in the world and she happened to be a woman, and while that rubbed him the wrong way, she didn't back down from a challenge. It was an important trait in a leader, and one he respected. He had to give her credit for directly addressing his rudeness too. Most men wouldn't have said anything to him.

Olivia kept her eyes on her guest of honor, as did her Secret Service agents around the room. She hoped he was done being a rude ass. They just had to get through this dinner he would be gone tomorrow morning. She planned to have a word with him in private before he left and warn him about his actions and the consequences they would bring. Until then, she had to play hostess. Looking around the room she addressed the attendees.

"I am eager to learn more about West Angola and the people who live there from Mr. Contreiras. I'm sure our time together will be productive and beneficial to everyone involved. Tonight's agenda is a little less intimidating. Dinner is served. I hope you all enjoy yourselves."

Servers entered the large room and placed beautifully plated meals in front of everyone.

When dinner was out of the way, Fitz waited for a slow song to start before getting to his feet and holding out a hand in Olivia's direction. "Madam President, May I have this dance?" He was only her plus one to this dinner, but he wasn't missing out on an opportunity to get Olivia in his arms.

She looked up at him. She was about to be held by the man she loved, and it was going to happen in public. In front of a foreign Prime Minister, no less. There would be countless pictures of the two of them from every angle imagined. Later, it would be picked apart and discussed as if they were a meal to be graded by a food critic.

Maybe she should she have listened to and taken Cyrus' advice and waited that extra month before doing anything remotely in the public eye with Fitz? Maybe this was a bad idea? Maybe it would blow up in her face politically? Maybe...maybe...maybe...

All of those fears and concerns and questions slid right off her shoulders and out of her mind. She had people who were well paid to make sure the world continued to spin in spite of what she did or said wrong. This was as good a place as any for the rumor mill to start about the two of them. Olivia showed no fear at all. Instead, a smile crossed her face and she slid her tiny hand into his larger one. "You may." she told him and received a smile back from him.

Everyone with a camera took countless pictures as they made their way to the center of the room as well as when they actually started dancing. Fitz barely noticed all of the devices held up towards them as flashes could be seen every few seconds and murmurs could be heard. His eyes were for the woman in front of him. The visiting foreign Prime Minister was watching them with great interest too.

Through his smile, Fitz asked, "what the hell is wrong with that guy?"

"I don't want to talk about him." Olivia replied curtly, knowing Fitz was referring to the visiting Prime Minister.

That was just fine with Fitz. He ignored everyone and everything around him with the exception of the vision of beauty in front of him. The music was slow, full of soul and meaning. It made him want to hold Olivia a hell of a lot closer than he currently was. Instead, he looked down at her and said, "I didn't know you could speak Portuguese?"

With a small smile on her face, she leaned a little closer and told him, "I didn't know I could either. I've been trying to learn some Portuguese ever since I heard that he was coming for a visit." she admitted.

"It was flawlessly spoken, Madam President."

"You are too kind."

"Are you okay with this?" he asked. "That I asked you to dance in front of everyone."

"I am. Cyrus is probably in a padded room losing his mind right now, but..."

"But that's what Cyrus does best." He supplied.

"Exactly." she chuckled. "I'm kind of surprised that you did though. If I'm honest."

"Really? Why is that?"

"Because you are always about the long game."

"MmmHmm."

"And as a huge supporter of my political career, I'm sure you thought about this from every single angle of how this would affect that." She couldn't wait to hear his answer.

"To be perfectly honest, I didn't think twice about it. I wanted you in my arms, and the only way I could accomplish that was to ask you to dance with me during a slow song. Are you disappointed?" He already knew her answer, but he still waited for it.

With one eyebrow raised in a challenging fashion, Olivia nodded and said one word. "No."

"Well, aren't we a pair of rebels?" He asked grinning down at her.

As the music played, Fitz took his eyes off Liv and glanced around the room. They were no longer the only two people dancing. The center of the room was full of other couples enjoying the song in the same way that he and Olivia were. It probably should feel strange to him, having Olivia in his arms in plain view of other people. To know that his name would be mentioned whenever any news anchor covered the story of the visiting Prime Minister's visit. Photos too.

But it didn't feel strange to him. It felt normal. This was where he belonged. With Olivia. Side by side, taking on the world. So, he kept his smile in place, his grip around her waist light, and a respectable distance between them. But a day was quickly coming when they wouldn't always see his smile. Because he'd be kissing her. His grip would be possessive, because everyone would know that she was his. And any distance between the two of them would be nonexistent.

The song ended and everyone clapped for the band before another song started. "Thank you for the dance." she told him.

"It was my pleasure." Fitz replied smoothly, his eyes trying desperately, and failing miserably, to not linger on her lips.

She smiled up at him, turned around, and walked away. Rather quickly. Out of habit, and because she really wanted to, Olivia had almost leaned closer and kissed Fitz right there in the East Room. A moment was needed to clear her head. The press corp caught her eye and she made her way over to them. They were sure to get her mind off of Fitz for a minute or two.

They snapped to attention when they saw her walking their way and began asking questions. "Are you enjoying your evening, Madam President?" someone asked.

"Very much so, thank you. It's been a fun night so far. I hope you all are enjoying yourselves as well."

The small group murmured in the positive before someone else asked a question. "Your dress is beautiful. Can you tell us about it?"

Olivia hated that question. Who was she wearing was always more important than what she was doing. Her smile never faltered as she patiently explained, "Thank you. It's a Michael Kors dress. I fell in love with the gorgeous black lace. All of his dresses are stunning so it was difficult to choose just one. I might have purchased two." She told them with a grin.

"Is Mr. Grant your date for this evening?"

She wanted to say yes and just end the façade. Proclaim to the press that she was indeed dating Fitzgerald Grant III. That she was in love with him in fact. Fitz's words from the hospital floated through her mind. Sometimes waiting is necessary. Taking a deep breath while keeping her smile in place, she said, "Mr. Grant is my plus one this evening. As you all know, my dating life has been a bit hectic and very public. I needed someone with me tonight who has attended these kinds of events before and doesn't get nervous or overwhelmed. He seemed like the perfect choice."

"That was quite a conversation with the Prime Minister." someone remarked.

Olivia knew it would be mentioned. She would have to tread lightly while getting her point across in a firm manner. "It was."

"Have the two of you had good talks while he has been at the White House?"

"We have accomplished quite a bit during his visit. For the most part, things have been great."

"But?" Someone prompted.

"But, being the first female President, I know that some won't see that as a good thing. Some will be intimidated by it and some will think I belong in a kitchen." She had almost said barefoot and pregnant, but caught herself in time. "I am learning how to manage all the different hats that I wear while doing  
this job, and I think so far I have done fairly well. So, if I let another leader think it's okay to publicly humiliate me, the women who will come after me will have a target on their backs by men like Mr. Contreras. That is unacceptable, and it has to be dealt with."

"What about...?" their loud voices blended together as they called out questions in unison, creating confusion.

"I think that should just about cover everything." Olivia aid politely. It was her way of saying she was done.

Mr. Contreiras stepped closer to Olivia before the crowd of reporters dispersed. He spoke to her in his native language and his interpreter relayed what he had said as the press watched and recorded it all. "The Prime Minister would like to present you with a gift, Madam President."

Olivia smiled. "Oh? That is very thoughtful of you, Mr. Contreras."

The translator continued conveying his boss' message as the Prime Minister handed her a beautifully carved ivory scepter. The press took countless photographs of the two leaders. Olivia looked closer at the scepter as the Prime Minister explained it's meaning. "This scepter was made by the Yombe peoples in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Scepters were carried by chiefs as instruments of power. This carved ivory tusk used to contain medicines inside. The chief being held up in this carving is chewing on a bitter root that was said to have warded off danger. The lower part of the carving reinforces the position of the chief as society's protector.

I owe you an apology for my earlier words. You represent the American people well. You are strong and wise, and you carry your power naturally, but don't laud it over others. You are firm when it's needed and you stand up for yourself. I never thought I would be working with a female leader and like it, but I have enjoyed my visit with you. I hope that you will enjoy this gift, and remember my people fondly whenever you see it, Madam President." A feeling of great pride swelled up within the translator at the kind words of his boss to the President.

As camera flashes continued to go off, Olivia studied the amazing attention to detail the people who carved this had put into their work. It was like nothing she had ever seen before, and probably without the aid of equipment that could do the job much easier. "Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister. For the apology as well as the gift. The scepter is beautiful. Please extend my heartfelt thanks to the people of your country for their generosity and gifted craftsmanship." The two of them shook hands, and the camera flashes caught every moment.

Fitz fully relaxed as he continued watching the two leaders smile for the cameras from across the room. He felt that the evening as a whole had been a success. For the White House, hosting a guest from another country. For the two leaders who seemed to have buried the hatchet for the greater good. And for him and Olivia, to have been seen by the public for the first time as something other than co-workers.

**I tend to write ahead for my stories. It gives me breathing room to not stress over a self made deadline to update. While that works for me, with this story it made me doubt what I had written and the first few re-writes didn't seem right. With that said, I'd like to say thank you to SarahWalka for being a listening ear and a helpful guide to get it where I wanted it to go. While I had others who reached out to help, she hit me up first so please don't feel left out. I'll always need help! I apologize for any errors in the translation. It came from Google. Thank you all for your patience and generous reviews xoxo**


	14. Fair and Square

**Fair and Square**

Fitz strode confidently up the stairs at the south portico of the White House with a huge smile on his face. It was a gorgeous April afternoon. Still warm enough outside that the sun felt good on your skin, but there was a crispness in the air as well. Winter was trying to remain in control of the weather in DC while spring tried desperately to break through and make her presence known. It was the kind of weather where a sweater or a jacket was needed in the mornings and in the late afternoons, but completely unnecessary during the day because it was too warm.

The springtime weather in Washington, DC made Fitz want to be outside. Looking out the window longingly from his office or walking in and out buildings for meetings were about all the time outside he got these days. He wanted to spend time with Olivia outside while it was warm enough to do so. She spent the vast majority of her time inside just as he did. Some fresh air would do both of them some good and that was exactly what he had planned for tonight.

I was the day of their first official date. Fitz was not going to take the same well traveled road as the men who had come before him. He was fairly confident that Olivia was sick of eating dinner in a public restaurant like a hamster in a glass cage as the press kept their noses pressed up against the windows and photographed everything. No. Fitz was going to do something a lot different, because he wasn't her typical date. He was her forever.

He stopped at the landing and experienced a sense of déjà vu. Without giving it a second thought, he leaned over the railing and plucked a single white daffodil. The plain flower with the yellow center looked lost beside the large arrangement of beautiful purple tulips he had stopped to buy for Liv ahead of time, but Fitz thought it was perfect. The underdog always held the most surprises and Fitz had a few of his own up his sleeve for his date with Olivia tonight too.

When he got to the door, Fitz was greeted by an armed guard who asked him for the reason for his visit. He couldn't help the proud smile that crossed his face when he replied, "I have a date with..."

"There you are." Olivia interrupted as she made her way towards him down the narrow hall. She had been full of pent up energy, waiting for Fitz to pick her up for their official first date. She felt like a teenager with butterflies in her stomach and she spent her time alternating between watching the clock, pacing around the residence, and looking in the mirror to check her appearance.

Knowing his habit of punctuality, she had made her way towards the south portico entrance earlier than necessary just so she could see him when he arrived. The two of them had been texting all day long, and  
Olivia wasn't sure if that helped or made the waiting worse. She couldn't wait to get him alone in the car, and away from the watchful eyes of other people.

She took in the sight of him and practically bit her tongue in half to stifle the sensual girl noises that wanted to bubble up from her throat. Fitz was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a blue and white button up gingham shirt. Damn, Huck was right. His eyes really did pop against the blue material. Chest hair beckoned her fingers to touch them from the opened top button. His curls were poking out from the edges of his American University cap, and his crooked little smile was looking very kissable. Fitz in casual clothes was a very nice change of pace.

While Liv tried not to openly stare at her sexy man, he was looking at her with fresh eyes and new appreciation. The President of the United States had on spotlessly white tennis shoes instead of high heels. She also had on a pair of faded, well worn, blue jeans instead of one of her beloved, stylish, designer dresses. As his eyes traveled upward, Fitz looked at the lightweight navy blue sweater with thin gray stripes that Olivia had chosen for being outside tonight. Her hair was in two long braids and she had on hoop earrings instead of the sensible studs she usually wore at the White House. Her outfit of incognito was topped off with a George Washington University baseball cap. Fuck if he didn't want her right now.

He snapped out of his haze and recalled some semblance of how to act human. His manners kicked in and had him addressing her properly in front of the men standing nearby who worked for her. "Madam President." Still, he was devious enough to put her on the spot too. "Did I get the time wrong? I apologize if I've kept you waiting."

Damn him for seeing through her eagerness and calling her out on it. Luckily, she was well versed in exactly how to handle Mr. Grant in front of others. "No, I came down to tell you that I'll have to take a raincheck for our date. Something literally just came up and demands my attention. I'm very sorry."

The hand that held the pretty flowers dropped in surprised defeat, as did his face. This was not how he imagined their evening together. He knew she was the most important person in the world, and her time was valuable. If she had been called into a last minute meeting, there was nothing he could do about it. "I understand, Madam President. You could have saved us both some time and called to let me know. We might as well reschedule while I'm here."

"I thought the right thing to do was to tell you personally. Besides, I'm just kidding." she told him with a grin. She watched his face go from confusion to understanding very quickly. She forgot how fun it was to keep Fitzgerald Grant on his toes. Pointing at the flowers, she boldly asked, "are those for me?"

She would pay for that later on, Fitz decided. "They were." He replied seriously. He kept his eyes on her and handed the colorful blooms to her Secret Service agent and said, "here, Tom. For all you do to protect our President."

Tom eyed the flowers and then flicked his steely gaze back up to Fitz. He felt ridiculous being in the presence of his boss, in the White House no less, wearing blue jeans. It was the most uncomfortable he'd ever felt on the job. But, when your boss asks you to dress down to blend in a little better, you comply.

He knew these two were going to require his full attention with their first outing as a couple. From everything Tom had witnessed, they were the real deal. He might not be permitted to have an opinion he could share when it came to his boss, but Tom knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was in love with Mr. Grant. It was obvious to him. Of course, Tom spent most of his waking time with the President, and probably knew her better than most of the other people who worked with her.

Tom didn't know what had driven her to marry William Swann a decade ago, but in the amount of time he had been with the two of them, it had been very clear that the First Gentleman was not the man for her. The President hadn't talked to him like she does Mr. Grant. She hadn't flirted with him either, as far as Tom had seen. In fact, the way she acted whenever Mr. Grant was around was the complete opposite of how the President had acted with her husband. Tom was glad to see her happy after going through so much shit, both professionally and personally. Still, he was not about to touch the flowers.

Olivia chuckled. "It doesn't appear that Tom has an appreciation for tulips and...is that a daffodil?"

"It is." Fitz answered proudly.

"Did you pick that outside near the steps?"

"I did."

"You're going to be a handful tonight, aren't you?" she asked with a grin.

"Aren't I always?" He kept eye contact with her, knowing the double meaning wasn't lost on her. She was in rare form this evening, it seemed. He couldn't wait to get her alone.

Olivia avoided answering that loaded question. Fitz handed her the flowers. "So, where are we going on this date of ours, Mr. Grant?"

"I'm afraid that information is classified." Was she staring at his lips right now?

He was so handsome, just standing there flirting with her. She was trying really hard not to openly stare at his mouth but was losing the battle and not caring who saw it. "Alright. Are you ready to leave?"

"I need to make a quick phone call first. Is there a room I could use for that please?" he asked.

"Of course." Olivia led him to a nearby door, not caring which room it was and turned the knob. "Let me just make sure no one is in here." She said loud enough for anyone to hear.

Fitz shut the door behind her and yanked her into his arms. "Hi."

Thank God for his sneaky side. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a smile. "Hi."

This was not on the schedule for their first date, but he hadn't been able to wait another moment to have her alone. Dipping his head, Fitz could smell the perfume she had put on her skin just for him. He would give her the honest sweet words later. Right now, he just needed her lips on his. She opened her mouth for him immediately and slid her tongue against his. He tasted like the minty green mouthwash he kept in his hotel room when she had been on the campaign trail.

His hands ran down over her backside and slid into the pockets there. "You know, when I said our evening would be a little better if you were unrecognizable, I didn't think you had it in you to surprise me, but..."

"But I did?" she asked with a grin.

"You definitely did. You look perfect for what I have in mind. You'll be able to mingle with the public and probably won't be recognized."

"Where are we going exactly, where we will be mingling with the public?" She wanted to know just as much as she wanted to be surprised. He was never going to tell her before they got there, but she could ask. "Am I going to be able to kiss you if I want to?"

Fitz leaned down and pecked her lips with a grin on his own face. He hovered just above her lips and replied, "nice try, Liv but I'm not telling you where we are going. As far as the kissing, you never have to ask."

She got up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. The moment her tongue snuck back into his mouth, she held onto him a little firmer and began to entertain ideas of the two of them staying in the White House tonight. Fitz must have read her mind because he abruptly broke the kiss, took her hand, and said in a disproving tone, "you need to stop. The point is for us to spend some much needed time outside. Get some fresh air for a change."

Looking up at him with a challenging look, Olivia replied with, "I'll raise the window in my bedroom. That's a fair compromise."

"That's it! It's time for us to leave!" he demanded playfully and pulled his other hand free from her back pocket.

"Party pooper."

"We are going to have so much fun together tonight. No press either."

"I can't wait to see how you planned a date in the public for us without the press."

"You just need one more thing to complete this incognito look, Madam President."

"Oh yea?" She asked. "Like what?"

Fitz presented her with a pair of sunglasses, and slid them on her face. "Like these! No one is going to recognize you now. Let's go. It's gonna be so much fun!"

"I'm so excited for our first date!"

Olivia and Fitz held hands in the backseat of the bulletproof black town car being driven by Jeffery. Tom was in the passenger seat with his eagle eyes constantly taking in their surroundings. She snuggled into his side and sent him loving glances, knowing the public wouldn't be able to see anything going on inside the car due to the heavily tinted windows. It felt good to be close to him.

Her head whipped to the left when she saw the bright lights getting closer. When Jeffery pulled into the parking lot Olivia shrieked loudly. "Really? This is what we're doing tonight?"

Fitz grinned over at her obvious excitement. "You like the fair?"

"Who doesn't like the fair, Fitz?" she exclaimed and turned to look out the window. There were lots of people walking from their cars to the beckoning lights and sounds of the games and rides across the street.

"Honestly, I had no idea you were such a fan. I was taking a chance on it. I didn't want do something you've done to death with your previous dates. And I wanted us to be able to spend some time outside before the weather gets unbearably hot. This is what I came up with. I'm just happy I got it right." He explained.

She leaned forward and put her arms around his neck. "Thank you." she whispered into his ear. "No one has ever taken me to the fair before."

"No one?" he asked as he pulled away from her embrace.

Olivia shrugged. "Just my parents. The handful of times I've been to the fair was with them. The last time I went to a fair I was nine."

"It's a lot more fun as a grown up, Liv." Fitz told her with a grin.

"You think so?" she asked in a doubt filled voice.

"MmmHmm. I'm going to win you a prize tonight."

"We're going to play games?" she asked giddily.

"Hell yes we're going to play games. And ride the rides, and eat the greasy food. It's part of the experience."

"We haven't even gotten out of the car yet, and this is the best date ever." She looked out the window at the blinking lights, colorful signs, and the happy faces of the people who were also taking advantage of a nice night at the fair. Fitz really had thought of everything. There would be no press here hounding the two of them or interviewing anyone who happened to be within a twenty foot radius of them. The sun was already setting too, making the ball caps easier to hide their faces from passersby.

"You are so easy, Liv." Fitz teased playfully.

"Don't say that in front of my Secret Service agents." she hissed quietly.

"You got both of them to wear jeans. They know how easy you are. Come on, let's go have fun!"

Jeffery parked the car, and Fitz opened the door. He knew the thoroughly trained agents would react normally and open the door for their boss and wait until she got out. He thought for a split second about going around to open her door for her, but his brain told him it would make her look like somebody important. Instead, he held his hand toward the backseat, and watched her slide across it and accept his hand.

It was dusk, and Fitz felt completely comfortable holding Olivia's hand as they made their way towards the crowds of people. Tom and Jeffery kept their distance, but Fitz and Olivia knew they were closer than either of them realized. The first thing they came to was the ticket booth. Fitz pulled his wallet from his back pocket and paid the admission price for all four of them, as well as for the neon bracelets that gave unlimited access to all the rides. Once the brightly colored paper jewelry was looped around their wrists, they were on their way.

"What do you want to do first?" Fitz asked Olivia.

She looked around. There was so much to do and see, and all of the food smelled heavenly! She hardly knew where to begin. As she looked around for the answer to his question, it sailed overhead. She pointed up and said, "I wanna go on that!"

"Really?" Fitz asked in disbelief. "Okay. Let's do it!"

The two of them found the entrance for the sky lift and got in line. She leaned towards him as they waited and said, "I hope we get a red one!"

He chuckled at her. "You're always so patriotic."

When their turn came up, they went to stand side by side and wait for the continually moving lift to scoop them up. They sat down and Fitz lowered the metal bar in front of them as they began their ascent in the air. Olivia giggled, and Fitz joined in with his deep laugh. She turned around in time to see Tom and Jeffery plop down on the seat of the lift behind them. The sight made her laugh harder.

"This is quite possibly your best idea ever, but don't wait for Tom or Jeffery to ever admit it."

"Good thing I'm not trying to impress Tom or Jeffery, huh?" he asked with a lopsided smile. His arm came around her automatically. "What would you like to do next, Liv?"

She looked around below them as her feet dangled. "This is a really good way to see what's what and where everything is."

Fitz watched her silently with his smile in place. She looked so relaxed up here without a care in the world, smiling down at everything below her. To know that her most difficult decision was what to do next for fun was a nice change of pace. It made him want to bring her to the fair every night. "I know I shouldn't say this, but I really want to kiss you right now."

She turned her head in his direction and smiled at him. "What's stopping you?"

"Tom and Jeffery." he admitted.

"Tom already knows." she remined him.

"That just leaves Jeffery."

"We will be together publicly in a month or two. Jeffery isn't going to..." Fitz cut off her words when he leaned closer and brushed his lips across hers. Olivia reached a hand up to the back of his neck and held him in place as she continued the kiss. When they parted, she finished her thought. "...say anything."

"I was hoping you'd say that" he told her softly. "So, have you decided what you want to do next?"

"Go to your place." she told him honestly. She was thrilled to be at the fair with him, but having him all to herself to do with as she pleased was a much more tempting thought.

"On the first date? I knew you were easy but...wow, Liv." he chuckled.

"Fine. How about we play a game?" she said defiantly.

"You pick the game and I'll kick your ass." he said, giving her a smug look.

"Oh, it's on!" She declared.

Ten minutes later, the two of them were back on the ground. They waited for Tom and Jeffery's lift to safely deposit them before they took off toward the nearest game. It was a game where you shoot water from a mounted gun into the small hole at the center of a target several feet away. Fitz sat down in front of number four and looked to Olivia, assuming she would it down beside him. Instead, she shot him a look and sat down in front of number seven. He laughed at her before once again pulling out his wallet.

"Keep your money, Sir. This ass whoopin' is on me." Olivia boasted.

Fitz put his wallet back in his pocket, and sent her a grin. "This is gonna be a sweet win."

A little boy sat down at the number five spot and paid for his chance to win. Fitz looked at the kid before flicking his eyes over to Olivia. He nodded at the boy before shrugging. Olivia shook her head back and forth silently as she pointed at her date and then the ground.

Fitz grinned. Message received. She was telling him he was going down. She was cute when she was competitive. He winked at her.

"Okay, the point of this game is simple folks." The announcer began in an overly excited voice. "You have to aim the water towards the bullseye. The water sends the stuffed animal towards the top of the booth. Whoever's stuffed animal gets to the top first is the winner. Are you all ready?"

All three of them nodded and tightened their grip on their water guns.

"Alright then! One, two, three, GOOOOO!" he shouted loudly.

Fitz kept his focus split between his stuffed animal and Liv's. Which meant he wasn't doing so well. When he cut his eyes over to where she was sitting, he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. She was awfully damned cute with the serious determined look. That was his fiercely competitive woman.

Olivia could feel Fitz's eyes on her, but at the moment, she wasn't paying him any attention. She was on a mission to kick his ass fair and square. She took a moment to feel bad for the kid as the announcer began with the rules, but then she forgot even him as her purpose became clearer. She'd make it right with him after this game was over.

"Lucky seven is the winner!" the man announced.

She took a moment to gloat. Even got to her feet to do a little happy dance. "Sorry guys, but girls rule!"

"Awwww, man." The little boy grumbled.

"Congratulations." Fitz told her.

"Pick your prize, little lady." The man running the booth told her.

Fitz chuckled and wondered if the man would change his verbiage if he knew he was talking to the President of the United States? Probably not.

"I want that one please." Olivia pointed to a large pink teddy bear. She wanted the life sized one, but knew that would draw unwanted attention to them, so she chose a regular sized one instead. She was handed the bear and told him thank you. Once that was settled, Olivia handed the boy a ten dollar bill and apologized for winning. He happily took the money and thanked her repeatedly.

When Olivia and Fitz walked away, he couldn't help but comment on what she had done. "That was a really nice thing to do."

"I couldn't help it. I felt bad for making him a casualty as I beat you. What do you want to do next, Grant?" she asked looking up at him as she proudly clutched her bear to her chest.

He had an uncontrollable urge to kiss her. The sun had long since set and Fitz knew they were dressed in a way that no one would possibly be able to recognize them. It was one thing to kiss her a few hundred feet over the heads of everyone at the fairgrounds where no one could see it. It was quite another to kiss her as they stood in the midst of them.

Liv was standing there, looking absolutely beautiful in her jeans and braids with a huge proud smile on her face as she held onto her pink bear. Before his brain had the chance to rationalize the moment away, his hands came up and cupped her cheeks. He leaned down and captured her lips in a soft kiss.

He was no longer nervous about kissing her. In fact, he was starting to feel much more comfortable the longer his lips stayed in contact with hers. Thoughts of Tom or Jeffery and what they might think about seeing them kissing never entered his mind. It seemed that Liv was in no rush to end the kiss either, and her empty arm came around his waist, pulling him closer.

The fixer in him was whispering into his brain that they didn't need to make a spectacle of themselves, but Fitz was wishing that the reasonable part of his mind would just shut the hell up and enjoy it. After another moment or two though, he broke the kiss, but pulled her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked on it before releasing her. "Your mouth is very addictive." he told her quietly.

When Olivia's eyes finally fluttered open, she saw him looking down at her. People were walking all around her and Fitz, paying them no mind at all. Okay, they were dressed in a way to spare them from being noticed by the average citizen out at the fair, but the President of the United States had just been kissed by her handsome fixer in public. And nobody cared! The realization made her feel so intoxicated. Light headed. It felt so liberating!

She wasn't hiding how she felt for him. A contented smile slowly crossed her lips before she grasped the front of his shirt and brought him down for one more kiss. When she released him, Olivia watched his shy smile turn proud in an instant. He leaned down and kissed her again. Just a peck this time, but it was so nice to be open with it. She sighed, completely content with herself. And him. "So are yours."

"I'm sorry did you call me Grant?" Fitz asked when he remembered what they had been talking about before he kissed her.

"I did. Do you like it?" she asked with a grin.

"Ask me later." he said, and bumped his shoulder against hers before taking her all hand in his.

"Let's go on another ride. How about the Ferris Wheel?"

"Mmmmm, maybe we'll get stuck on the very top and can make out up there like teenagers?" He suggested in a low voice.

"I was thinking we could FaceTime with Huck while we're up there."

Fitz whipped his head in her direction and shot her a glare.

Before he could even begin the lengthy list of reasons why that wasn't going to happen, she broke into a grin and sang, "gotcha!"

He had no response to that.

"I was just kidding. But just so you know, this date is definitely in my top five." She replied with a serious look.

Fitz stopped walking and shot her a look. "Top five my ass."

The two of them got in line for the Ferris Wheel and waited their turn. They didn't have a lot of conversation while they waited, but they did hold hands and exchange loving glances. At one point they both craned their heads back and looked up at the slightly rocking bucket at the very top. They looked at each other and grinned knowingly. It was almost their turn!

When they were finally seated and the seatbelt securely fastened, the purple metal car began its accent. With the sun long gone, the chill was back in the air. Fitz stretched his right arm across the back of the seat. Olivia immediately curled into his side as he held her closer and rested his hand on her hip. "This is very cozy." she told him with her hand on his chest.

"And you wanted to stay at home to have your way with me." Fitz scoffed.

"Yea, what was I thinking?" Olivia asked humorlessly.

"You would have missed this great view."

"Your body is a great view too." Her hand slid down his chest and came to rest on his thigh, where she began to massage him through his jeans.

"Liv! We're not even at the top yet." he reminded her.

A quick look around showed her that they were nearing the top. High over everyone's heads below them for sure. She crawled onto his lap, straddling him, and got into his ear. "If we had stayed at home, I would have already been on top of you."

His hands found her hips just as quickly as his lips crashed against hers. He brought her roughly down onto his lap and ground his center against hers, causing an appreciative noise to come from her throat. Olivia broke the kiss so her lips could wander into Fitz's neck. She planted little kisses on his jawline along the way. "Want you so...mmm...bad" she mumbled.

"Liv!" Fitz hissed, opening his eyes. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you've got to stop!"

She mumbled a breathy, "uh uh" before kissing and sucking the soft skin on his neck.

"Liv!" Fitz grasped her hands between them and pulled his head free from her lips. "We're about to be near the bottom again, and I'm guessing you wouldn't like for your ass to be featured on someone's YouTube video titled 'The bucket was rockin' at the fair tonight."

Olivia began to laugh. At his words. At the visual. All of it. She sat down beside him, but continued to laugh. When they had risen over the people on the ground once again, she took his hand and said, "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." he reassured her.

"I had to make the fixer come out on our date."

Fitz brought her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it. "I'll always look out for your best interests. That's my job whether I'm your fixer or your husband."

He knew just how to melt her heart. Her hand slid around to the back of his head and brought him close. "I love you more than you could possibly imagine."

"I have a pretty good idea. My heart is full of love for you too, Liv." His eyes flicked to over her shoulder and a smile crossed his face. "Look."

Olivia turned to gaze at all of the lights that were twinkling far below them on the ground. They were stopped at the top of the ride. The stars in the sky seemed closer to them than the ground at the moment. "It's so beautiful up here."

Fitz tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. "Hey. What happened to the kisses you promised to give me if we got stuck up here?"

She shrugged. "It kinda pales in comparison to the view don't you think? Hey, let's take selfie while we're up here!"

He pressed his cheek close to hers and they both took a few photos with their phones. When they were back on the ground Fitz asked her what she'd like to do next.

"I'd like to get something to drink and then I think I'd like to see Tom and Jeffery on the Tilt-A-Whirl."

Fitz turned around to look at the two Secret Service agents who were walking several feet behind them. He laughed loudly. "That's so mean. Let's do it though!"

It turned out that Jeffrey, the man who would willingly take a bullet for the President, wasn't a fan of quick spinning rides. He turned an interesting shade of green as he sat in the blue seat, grasping onto the red metal bar that lay across his lap as if it were a life line. He couldn't see his boss, let alone protect her even if he did have eyes on her. He was spinning too damn fast. It felt like everything he had ever eaten in his life was going to come up at any minute.

Just when he thought he was going to make an embarrassment of himself, the ride slowed down. When it came to a stop, he watched the President step out of her own red and blue car and make her way back onto solid ground with Mr. Grant. The second he saw that she was safe, he ran toward the nearest trash car and vomited. He prayed that she wouldn't want to go on that one again! The thought of any more spinning had his head hung over the trashcan to make sure nothing else was coming up from his stomach.

"I'm sorry, Jeffery." Olivia said when he finally rejoined them. "I thought it would be fun to see both of you spinning and I..."

"Ma'am." Jeffery held his hand up and closed his eyes. He never wanted to hear the word spinning again.

Deciding to keep their feet on the ground for a while, Fitz led Olivia to another game. The object of this game was to pop inflated balloons pinned to a wall by throwing darts them. Fitz ended up being the big winner in this game, and he proudly handed his date a small stuffed frog. It was a lot smaller than the pink teddy bear Olivia had won, but winning gave him bragging rights until they played the next game, and that was something.

Olivia caught sight of the fun slide and she excitedly pulled Fitz towards it as Tom and Jeffery followed. "There's no spinning with this one! Just a race to the bottom and I'm going to win!"

Fitz gave her a huge smirk and said, "challenge accepted!"

The four of them each took a burlap sack from the riders who were exiting the slide. Olivia led the way up the countless number of steps, giggling and trash talking the men as she went. One the four of them were at the very top, they set their sacks down side by side.

Fitz leaned over with his hands on the sack, straightening it out as he turned to look at Liv. She had already straightened hers out and was sitting down waiting for them when she caught his eye. She giggled again as she watched him fold his large frame onto the brown sack. "No cheating, Liv." Fitz warned.

"As if" she casually threw back at him. "Besides, I don't need to cheat. I'm going to be at the bottom before you even reach the halfway point."

Smack talking Liv was kinda sexy, Fitz decided. "We'll see what happens. Is everyone ready?"

Tom and Jeffery nodded on his right. Olivia gave him the thumbs up as her eyes stayed straight ahead. "Ready? Set? GOOOOOO!"

The strangest sound to Fitz's ears was hearing Olivia's Secret Service agents laughter. He was glad they were enjoying this simple slide. Olivia started out laughing, but it quickly turned into whining when Fitz zoomed past her. Before he knew it, he was at the bottom of the slide, laughing until his belly hurt.

Olivia came to a stop just past him. Her arms were folded in front of her and she wore a scowl.

Seeing her pout just made him laugh louder. He got to his feet and said, "that's for saying earlier that you had to give me a raincheck for our date."

Olivia took his hand once again and her sour attitude evaporated quickly.

Their dinner was nothing short of fantastic on their date. It consisted of corndogs, French Fries covered with lots of ketchup, and funnel cakes covered with lots of powdered sugar. All of that was paired with an endless amount of iced down caffeinated drinks in plastic cups. It was greasy and bad for you, but each bite tasted better than the one before. Both Olivia and Fitz agreed that fair food was the best food.

In between the eating they rode more rides. They tried to keep away from rides that spun, but it seemed like every single one of them were spinning rides. Olivia pointed at the large swings, spinning high in the air and the two of them watched the riders enjoying the ride. Her look of wonder was unmistakable.

"Come on, Liv. Let's go for a ride." Fitz said encouraging her.

"We can't. I don't want to make Jeffery sick again."

Fitz made eye contact with the Secret Service agent in question and jerked his head toward the swings. Jeffery nodded. "Come on. He's fine with it. It's the last ride of the night anyway."

The four of them stood in line together, and Fitz just had to know. So, he asked. "Are you sure you're ok to ride this one? I mean, what makes this one more tolerable than the other one?"

Jeffery looked everywhere but at the fixer. "The other ride spun in little circles as the entire ride spun in a big circle. This is just everyone going in the same direction at the same speed."

"That makes a lot of sense." Fitz agreed.

Olivia loved the swings. It was her favorite ride when she was nine and had gone to the fair with her parents. This time around was no different. She sat in a chair beside Fitz and got herself strapped in safely, tucking her prizes under her legs. When the ride was in full speed, she experienced the same sense of freedom she had felt when she was a kid. Her arms were stretched out like bird wings. The air was cold against her face causing her eyes to water. She felt like there was nothing holding her down. One glance at the man floating beside her told her that he felt the same way. He sent her contented grin.

But eventually the swings began to slow down until they finally came to a stop. The last ride of the night was over. She did a quick peek at Tom and Jeffery, and was surprised to see them both smiling happily like two little boys. Happy that the evening had ended on a happy note, the four of them began to make their way to the car with the throng of people who had enjoyed a night at the fair as well.

When everyone was safely inside the car again, Olivia looked up at Fitz and said, "I had a really nice time tonight. Thank you for a memorable first date."

"It was fun. We'll have to do it again some time." Fitz put his arm around her and added, "those are the words you say when a date is ending. We're not home yet, and I think it's safe to assume that your other top four dates ended with kissing?"

Olivia chuckled at him before pulling him closer. "You know what they say about people who assume things?"

He couldn't stop looking at her lips. He licked his own as his head moved even closer to hers. "I don't really care at this particular moment."

Their lips tenderly came together as did their tongues. The was no reason to rush this kiss and they took their time to savor the moment. He caressed her cheek with his thumb while her fingers delved into the curls at the back of his neck. Their free hands came together and their fingers immediately intertwined before coming to rest on her lap.

She could happily spend hours kissing this man she was so in love with, but the exhaustion from a very busy day followed by the excitement of the evening was catching up to her. Olivia slowly broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his. They smiled contentedly at each other for a moment before she pulled him into her arms for warm hug. "Best date ever!" she whispered to him.

Fitz grinned into her neck and excitedly hissed, "yesssssss."


	15. Incoming and Outgoing

**Incoming and Outgoing**

"Do you have any plans tonight?" Fitz asked into his phone. He was sitting in his office with a huge smile on his face, talking to Olivia before she darted into a meeting with the Joint Chiefs. He was about to go home and watch some basketball while eating leftover take out. Hearing her voice before leaving for the day was the best way to end it.

He chuckled at what she said as he leaned back in his chair. Ever since their first date, Fitz had felt infinitely lighter. The press and the public were still in the dark about his relationship with Olivia, and that was okay because they planned on taking it slow in announcing it. Something he was just fine with because they had forever together. The fact that this relationship wasn't something new to them only strengthened his yearning for them to legally start forever.

Of course, he'd have to propose first, but they were a long way away from that happening. They had to let America know that he was in the picture first, and then get them comfortable with seeing him and Liv together all the time. To know they were a couple. They were supposed to talk about when the announcement would be made tomorrow night. The knowledge of the waiting constantly tried to suck the happy from his innermost place. Fitz chose to think of happier things to help keep the feelings of impatience at bay.

Like the fact that he had already started looking at engagement rings online. He hadn't made any final decisions yet, because they had to date for a while first. Several of the rings he had seen at different jewelry stores online had met his very high expectations of what he had in mind for Olivia. The rings were beautiful and big enough without being too big and gaudy. The problem was, he couldn't picture any of them on her little finger. So, he kept looking under the anonymity of the internet.

Her voice brought him back to the present. "Fitz?"

"Sorry. I'm here. What were you saying?"

"Nothing terribly important. Just that I love you." she teased.

"My favorite three words." he replied with a smile.

"Really? I thought your favorite three words were let's get nak..."

"We've got incoming." Huck announced.

"Jesus, Lurch! You scared the shit out of me." Fitz exclaimed as his lusty grin turned to shock in an instant. He felt like a teenager being busted making out with his girlfriend.

"Is that Huck?" Olivia asked.

"Yea." Fitz said, answering her.

"Is that the President?" Huck asked with a small smile.

Fitz shot his co-worker a scowl and then a middle finger.

"Let me talk to him." Olivia asked sweetly.

"No way. He needs to find his own woman to talk to."

"She's asking for me huh?" Huck asked with a chuckle. He lived to fuck with Fitz any way that he could when it came to Olivia. It was so easy to get under his skin. It made him eager to do it all the time.

Fitz kept his eyes on Huck, but spoke into the phone. "You two can chat on your own time. We've got a client on the way up right now and you have a meeting of your own to get into."

"Fine. But at least put me on speaker really quick. Pleeeeeease." Olivia tried to make her voice sound as sweetly as possible so he would be talked into it.

Fitz rolled his eyes but touched a button on the face of his phone and said, "go ahead."

"Hey, Huck!" she sang.

"Hello, Madam President." Huck said shyly.

"How's my favorite man at..."

Fitz touched the face of the phone and pointed to the elevator, hoping Huck would take the hint and get the hell out of there before Liv made his head any bigger. "Don't do that, Liv."

"Don't do what?" Olivia asked innocently. Cyrus glanced at his watch and gave her a look of her own, signaling it was time for her to end the call. She held up her index finger.

"Don't tell Huck he's your favorite man at Grant and Associates. His head doubles in size and he grins a lot when he's around me. It's just creepy to witness. He also turns into a giant asshole for me to share space with. You know this because I've told you before."

Olivia began to laugh.

"Besides, don't you have a meeting to go to?" She was already forgiven. What he wouldn't give to be able to see her right now. Damn work getting in the way of his very happy private life.

"I do, and you have incoming." He sounded playful, which was the point after all since he had a client coming up. It made her smile to know that he had called her out of the blue just to check in on her. Fitz was a keeper, and she couldn't wait to make him legally all hers.

"Call me later if you get some time please."

"You want a bedtime story?" she asked seductively.

"Yes please. In person. And I want you to tuck me in and keep me warm too."

"Goodbye, Mister." Olivia chuckled, ending the call with him and followed Cyrus into yet another meeting.

Fitz had just enough time to set his phone down on his desk and make his way to the elevators before the shiny metal doors slid soundlessly open. A woman lifted her head and took in the sight of Fitz and Huck. Her eyes shifted between the two men, each dressed very different, but also very intimidating in their own way. One of them was in jeans and flannel looking scary beyond all reason while the other donned a suit, minus the jacket, which she felt certain was draped around a chair nearby. She had done her homework and knew the answer, but asked the question anyway. "Which one of you is Grant, and which one is the associate?"

Fitz gave a polite smile to the woman and stepped forward with his right hand extended. "I'm Fitzgerald Grant, and this is my associate, Huck."

While Fitz played the nice host, Huck gave her the once over. She had straight blonde hair that hung to her shoulders. She was dressed nice, but not flashy or overly expensive. Her heels were an inch high and she had a fresh cut on her leg. Not too much bigger than a nick, but big enough that he noticed. She'd probably cut it while shaving her legs and doing any number of other tasks at the same time. If she had money, she wasn't showy with it, but if she was trying to make a decent impression, she was doing a damn good job at acting cool, calm, and collected. Her gnawed up cuticles told a different story though. Huck wondered what he was nervous about.

She shook Fitz's hand, followed by Huck's and politely replied, "it's nice to meet both of you. I'm very sorry for just dropping in at the end of the day without an appointment, but I have a proposition for you."

"Let's take this to the conference room, where we'll be more comfortable." Huck suggested. "Would you like some coffee or something cold to drink?"

"Coffee would be great. Thank you."

"Cream and sugar?"

Fitz folded his leg across his thigh and took a deep breath. Anything to avoid the strangled sound that wanted to rise up within him. It was the end of the day and Huck was acting like a perky Starbucks barista for a woman who hadn't shared something as basic as her name with them yet. He briefly wondered if Huck was going to offer to go get her dinner too.

"One of each please. Thank you."

Huck disappeared and Fitz pounced on the moment alone. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

She smiled at him from the chair beside his. "Madeline Scott."

"The name sounds familiar, but I can't quite think of why."

"The same Madeline Scott who is the campaign manager for Alena Maxwell? The woman running for Senator for the state of Ohio? That Madeline Scott?" Huck asked, setting a mug of coffee in front of her.

Fitz kept his eyes on the woman sitting beside him while Huck spit out the facts as he assumed them. He quickly wondered how Huck knew who she was, but more importantly, he wondered why he didn't. He supposed he could blame it on the fact that things in his personal life had kept him busy, but the truth of the matter was it always had. He shook off the questions for now and focused on the potential client.

"That's correct." Ms. Scott told Huck with a smile.

"Your boss has the potential to go really far." Huck commented.

"Thank you. I, along with her entire team tend to think so too."

"What can we help you with, Mrs. Scott?" Fitz asked.

"It's Miss Scott actually." She said correcting him with a smile. "To get down to brass tacks, Mrs. Maxwell would like to hire you."

"Does she have something that needs fixing in her personal or professional life?" Fitz wanted to know.

Ms. Scott shook her hand back and forth quickly. "It's nothing like that. There isn't a problem or an issue that requires attention from a professional. Not yet anyway."

"I don't...understand then. What capacity does Mrs. Maxwell want to hire me for?"

"She'd like you to run her campaign." Madeline's blue eyes flicked between both men watching for a reaction. When she didn't see one, not even remotely, it solidified the fact that she was at the right place.

"Isn't that your job?" Huck asked.

"It is." she admitted.

"You came here, on behalf of your boss, to ask us to take your job? That doesn't make any sense." Huck told her plainly.

"Alena would like for you to work alongside me on the campaign to get her elected to the seat in Ohio."

"Why would we do that?" Huck asked.

"Because of the President." Fitz supplied, studying her face. "Isn't that it?"

Ms. Scott nodded. They were very different men, but each seemed to believe in the direct approach when it came to business. She could appreciate that. Hell, she respected and admired that. Cut through the bullshit was her mantra. This was going to be a tough sell. She had known that when Alena had mentioned it to her. Having them connect the dots made it a bit simplified, in her opinion. "That's exactly right. You ran the campaign to get President Pope elected as Governor, and we would like to utilize both of you to help Alena get elected as Senator to the same state."

"I'm not sure that's the best idea."

"You already know the state. The best spots to make announcements, speeches, meet and greets. With your help and previous win for President Pope, Alena is a shoo in for the Senate seat." Madeline would all but beg if it came to it. They needed Grant and Associates to give Alena the push she needed. To have hired the same firm that got the President elected would do just the trick.

"There's the first problem already." Fitz patiently replied.

Madeline raised her eyebrows and tilted her head slightly at him. "What is?"

"You can't duplicate for Mrs. Maxwell what we did for Ms. Pope."

"Why not?" She was genuinely confused. What could the problem possibly be with that plan? It had earned a victory for the President. It would surely earn one for Alena as well.

"You'll seem opportunistic." Huck told her.

"I'm still waiting for the problem to be mentioned." Madeline stated.

"You think if you get the same people who successfully ran the President's campaign, and got her a win, to run an identical or very similar campaign for your boss, that it will assure her a win for that same state. Isn't that it?" Fitz said, spelling everything out plainly so there wasn't any confusion.

"Yes. That's exactly it." she admitted. "And no one is going to think she's being opportunistic. They'll think she's intelligent to have gotten the same winning team on her side."

Huck shot Fitz a look without speaking.

"Look. Men do this type of shit all the time, Mr. Grant. Why is it a problem for a woman to do it? It's sexist and dated and wrong on so many levels." She turned in her chair and got right to it. "So, what's the real problem?"

What was the problem? It would be a breath of fresh air to be working on a campaign again. It would mean lots of research, and Fitz was a beast at research. He was even better at winning. He was also a people person. He enjoyed meeting them and gauging them as voters. Nobody was better at this particular game than he was. He would be able to spend some time outside, instead of cooped up in offices all day long. Getting out and meeting voters meant just that. Getting out!

On the other hand, this woman wanted him to help run her boss' campaign. A campaign that would have him out of state and away from Liv for the next several months. It would involve a lot of flying back and forth so he could see her, because at this point, talking on the phone would not be enough. It would also mean putting off announcing their dating status because it would tarnish his potential new client's credibility having the President's boyfriend as her campaign manager. There were a lot of things to consider, other than obtaining a new client.

"If we're going to work together, and that's just an if at this point. But if that happens, I'm going to demand complete honesty. And I'll give it in return. I'm not turning the offer down, but I am saying that I will need to discuss it with Huck. We need to see where we stand with the other clients we currently have. See if we'd be able to move things around to make this happen." Fitz got to his feet and watched as Madeline followed suit.

She handed him her card and said, "My cell number is on there. I'll be expecting a call by the end of the week. If you decide you're interested, we'll set up a meeting with Elena."

Fitz shook her hand with a nod and said, "We'll be in touch. It was nice to meet you, Miss Scott."

Smiling at him she said, "likewise, Mr. Grant. Huck. I'll see myself out."

The moment the elevator doors closed with her inside Huck spoke up. They were on their way toward the table in the conference room. "What do you think?"

"I think it's an interesting offer. There's a lot to consider though. Lots of moving parts to it."

"Such as?"

"Such as they are expecting a cookie cutter experience of what we did for Liv." Fitz pointed out.

"The problem is they want to do it to the same people who voted for Olivia as President and that won't work. Voters have a long memory. They'll remember seeing us, and they'll remember that we did the same thing there. If we meet with the candidate, we're going to have to shoot that idea down."

"Agreed." Fitz nodded. "We can do some variations on what was successful in Ohio, but not the same exact thing. On the flip side, when we get her the Senate seat, we'll have a friend in a high place."

"There's that!" Huck agreed. "Of course, there are some negatives to taking this job to think about too."

Fitz sighed loudly. "The timing is fucking terrible for my personal life."

"Right?!" Huck agreed. "I mean, who has time to be away right now?"

Scowling at him Fitz demanded, "What the fuck are you going to be missing out on by being away?"

"What's it to you?" Huck demanded in a defensive tone.

"You brought it up!" Fitz said. He mimicked Hucks' voice and repeated, "'Who has time to be away right now?'"

"Man shut the hell up! You're not the only one with a personal life you know!"

"Waaaaaaaaaaaaait a minute." Fitz replied with a smirk. "Is there a woman in your life?"

"Shut up!"

"Like one woman? Can it be? The great womanizing Huck has finally settled down?"

Huck pushed away from the table and got to his feet. He should have known better than to try to have a normal conversation with Fitz. Of course, he gave him shit all the time about Olivia, but that was different. She was the President of the United States of America. The woman he was dating wasn't a public figure. Not by a long shot. But she did have some interesting connections.

"I'm sorry!" Fitz chuckled. "I'm sorry! Okay? Come here and tell me about this mystery woman."

"No way in hell am I telling you anything about my personal life!"

"Why not? You know who I date."

"Exactly! I also know how much shit I've given you over it. I don't need it given back."

"Come on, man. I've shown you mine. The least you can do is show me yours."

"Don't ever say that to me again. It's weird." Huck stated with a scowl. He was dying to tell Fitz about her. He'd been waiting for the perfect opportunity to do so. "Her name is Quinn."

"Awww, your girlfriend's name is cuuuuuuuuuute." Fitz sang.

"Keep it up and you're gonna get your ass beat." Huck threatened.

Fitz put his elbows on the table and rested his cheeks in his palms with a sappy smile. "And where did you meet Quinn?"

"Fuck you."

"How many times have I told you that that's not a real place, buddy?" Squirming and nervous Huck was a highly entertaining thing to behold, Fitz decided. This was going to even the score on so many Liv things. He just needed to shut up and let the man talk some more.

"The shooting range." Huck said, rolling his eyes.

Fitz lifted his head abruptly. All teasing aside. "Really? You go to a shooting range? Women go there too?"

"She's not your typical woman." Huck replied with a grin.

"That goes without saying if she's into you." He watched Huck get to his feet again and Fitz sighed. "Fine. I'll stop. Tell me what she looks like."

"She's beautiful. Long brown hair, brown eyes, very curvy, and hilarious. She's the complete package."

"Do I get to meet her?"

"Someday. But that's a big reason why I'm not too hyper about leaving town."

"We have that in common. Me and Liv were supposed to go on our first public date this week. I don't think we can do that if we are going to take this job."

"Conflict of interest." Huck agreed.

"I'll have to talk it over with her. Her opinion is important to me."

"It had better be if you're gonna marry her."

Now Fitz scowled. "What the hell are you talking about? No one said anything about..."

"Really? I am an IT genius. I pull up your browser history like every afternoon for giggles. I know what you're looking for. Besides, it's not a secret. You love her and she loves you. The natural next step is marriage and kids."

"You think it would be good for her politically." Fitz stated.

"No, I think the two of you are gonna be great parents together. Screw politics."

"My thoughts exactly." Fitz answered with a smile.

As was his way, Fitz went home and began making a list of pros and cons of taking on this particular client. He had exhausted all thoughts for both sides and had a healthy list to show for it. He tipped back a crystal glass partially filled with whiskey as he looked it over to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. He hadn't.

It was time to call Liv.

She answered on the third ring. "Hi, you."

"Hi back. How was your day?"

She gave a dry chuckle and repeated the question. "How was my day?"

"Yea. How was your day?"

"My day isn't over yet. Yea. It's nine o'clock and I still have to go into a meeting about a situation brewing in East Sudan. I've been up since five, I'm exhausted, I have a headache, and I skipped dinner. My day has been shitty, Fitz."

"I'll be right there with food." He realized that he hadn't eaten yet himself as he pulled his shoes back on his large feet, grabbed his jacket, and heading out the door with the phone still to his ear.

"Thank you, but that isn't necessary. I'll grab something in the residence after my meeting. I didn't mean to bite your head off. It isn't your fault my day is terrible. I'm sorry." She heard noises in the background and listened intently. "Fitz? Are you still there?"

"Yup. I'm headed to you. I'll be there in under an hour, so go get your meeting over with..."

"No." She interrupted. "What I'm saying is you don't need to do that."

"...because there is something that I need to talk to you about anyways."

"Uh oh. That doesn't sound pleasant."

"Stop being so negative. Besides, I haven't seen you since the day before yesterday. I miss you." He told her.

Olivia stopped walking in the hall and smiled. How was he going to make her cry by saying he missed her? It really had been a hell of a day. "You do?"

"Of course I do. Every day." He assured her.

"Maybe we can make out in the Oval for a minute or two?"

"Yea? I can be up for that." he said in a flirtatious tone.

"You can be up for a stiff breeze." She chuckled.

"Only if you're around. I'll be there soon, okay? I love you."

"I don't know why. You're too good for me."

"That's true. I am." He told her grinning.

"God, I miss you." she whispered.

"End the call and go deal with East Sudan so I can have your full attention when I arrive please, Madam President."

"I'll see you soon."

Fitz arrived at the White House and set down the large, brown, paper bag that he had been carrying long enough to sign himself in. A visitor's badge was given to him, he nodded curtly to the gentleman sitting behind the desk, picked the bag back up, and headed down the hall towards the Oval. Once there, the President's secretary informed him that she would be joining him once her meeting was over, and for him to wait inside for her. He and the brown paper bag went inside where Fitz began to set the food up.

The door opened and Olivia quickly began with the apologies for making him wait. "I'm so sorry, Fitz. That meeting was supposed to have ended a half hour ago. They say women talk a lot. I call bullshit on that one, my friend."

She stopped in her tracks and inclined her head closer to where he and the delicious smelling food were. She knew the answer before she even asked the question, but still she asked, "is that...?"

Fitz grinned and went to stand in front of her. "Hi, my friend. And to answer your question, you know that it is."

Olivia closed her eyes and groaned lustily before raising her arms and linking them behind his neck. "You brought me Mama's?

"I brought you Mama's." He dipped his head and pecked her lips. "You said it yourself. You skipped dinner. You can't afford to lose any weight and you need to keep your strength up to deal with these loose lipped men you work with. Besides, I hadn't eaten either and once it popped into my head nothing else would do."

"You really are too good for me."

"That's already been discussed and agreed upon. Let's eat while it's warm." Fitz advised. He led her to her desk, where the vast piles of paper had been moved out of the way. He sat down in one of the visitor's chairs across from Liv's leather chair behind the desk.

"Why do the mashed potatoes have fork marks in them?" Olivia asked, peering down at the container.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Fitz answered smoothly. It had been hell trying to remove the evidence of his nibbling earlier while in the backseat of a cab.

She squinted at him, and then touched the corner of her mouth and said, "you've got a little something there that looks like mashed potatoes."

"Really?" Fitz grabbed a napkin and began to wipe.

"No, but good thing you didn't eat any potatoes." She brought a potato and gravy laden plastic fork to her lips. The food tasted heavenly and the sound that came from her let Fitz know of her approval. "This is amazing. Thank you for feeding me."

He watched her eat, feeling satisfied that she was finally putting something into her body to nourish it. "You're welcome. You don't need to skip meals, Liv. I need you to take better care of yourself. Please."

Olivia looked into his sparkling blue eyes. To the average person, he appeared not to have a care in the world. Olivia knew him better than that. The sarcasm she intended to fire back at him died on her lips. Whatever it was that he had to talk about, it was serious. And it had him worried too. She ate her fried chicken in silence, trying to think of the best way to get him to talk.

"I was offered a job today." he said quietly.

"Oh? That was your incoming when we were on the phone earlier?"

Fitz nodded, still eating and choosing his words carefully.

"Is it anyone I know? Something salacious you can tell me about? Anything to take my mind off this horrific day."

"That client is also what I meant when I mentioned that I needed to talk to you earlier." Why was he starting to feel nervous all of a sudden?

"Oh? Who is the client?"

"Alena Maxwell."

"The woman running for the Senate seat in my home state? She's already creating lots of buzz on the hill. A lot of people are pulling for her to win. I hope that whatever it is that she came to you for won't ruin her reputation? She's got the potential to do amazing things."

"I didn't actually meet her today."

"But you just said..."

"She's the client, but I met with her campaign manager."

"Ohhhh, she has something that needs to be dealt with. That can be tricky too. Alena doesn't need her name attached to a scandal in any capacity."

"That's not what the job involves."

"I think I'm lost here. If nothing needs fixing, then what is it that needs your attention?" Olivia asked.

"Alena's campaign." Fitz admitted. "She wants me to run it."

Olivia's eyebrows went up. "Oh! In Ohio?"

"Yes. They want me and Huck to provide the exact same campaign experience that we provided for you, and they want it to end with a huge victory too."

"It's smart to hire your firm to handle that. It's also obvious and will appear opportunistic to the voters." Olivia told him before digging into her green beans.

"That's exactly what Huck told her. He'll be happy to know you had the same thought as him."

"He's a very smart man."

"Jesus." He sighed heavily.

Olivia chuckled. "What did you tell her?"

"That Huck and I had to discuss it."

"Which was code for you and I have to discuss it." she stated.

"Huck and I discussed it." he said defensively. "Thank you very much."

"Sorreeeee!" Olivia said holding her palms up towards him. She was wearing a grin so he'd know she was kidding. "And what did the two of you come up with?"

"Well, Huck has a girlfriend and isn't excited about leaving town right now."

"I knowwww! I can't wait to meet Quinn. She sounds perfect for him!"

"Of course you know about that before I do. It makes perfect sense." Fitz muttered.

"He should be able to put her into a few crowds at events and then smuggle her back to his hotel afterwards. She could talk to the crowd too and get their thoughts on the candidate. That would be infinitely harder for you and your high profile lady friend to do. What did your gut tell you about the whole thing?"

Thankfully, his plate was empty. He wiped his hands on a white paper napkin. "If I take this job, we'll win. It's what we do. Mrs. Maxwell will give us an ally on the hill and it will look good on my resume."

"If you came to work for me, you wouldn't need to pad your resume with big fancy names because I've already seen it." Her eyes dropped to his crotch. "It's very impressive."

Fitz watched her stare openly at him for a long moment before snapping his fingers in front of her face. "Hello? My eyes are up here and we were talking!"

"Sorry! Right. So, ally. Resume. Both good reasons to take the job. What else?"

"What else what?"

"Come on, Fitz. I know you. You've made a list of the reasons why taking this job is good and bad. What else did you come up with?"

"I did make a list of pros and cons. Besides the two things you called off, the only other one that really matters most is that I'll be away from you for the next seven months. That means we'll only be able to talk on the phone sporadically and most likely only at the end of the day. That means there will be weekend trips when it's convenient to see each other or random days off. It'll also mean putting off the announcement of our relationship until November because if we announce now it will appear that Alena got elected because of my relationship with you. And like you said, her name doesn't need to be linked to a scandal in any capacity."

"I understand your hesitation. If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way. I won't like not being able to see you face to face whenever I skip a meal." She smiled at him, pushed her chair out, and went around her desk to sit on the edge of it in front of him. "But we've waited a long time to be together already. Another seven months will be difficult, but it isn't going to kill us."

"So, it won't bother you?"

"Hell yes it will bother me. This is the face of a woman masking her emotions. As a politician, I'm very good at it." She took his hand and held it in hers, setting both of them calmly on top of her lap. "We both have jobs to do. Jobs that are very demanding of our time and energy. And sometimes those jobs require us to be apart. I can't exactly take you to the G8 Summit with me this summer."

Fitz sighed in a defeated fashion. "I was so looking forward to going on vacation to Germany."

"Life's hard all around, isn't it?" Olivia teased. "I would think a trip to Ohio would be a good thing. Like a little trip down memory lane. It might make you feel closer to me."

"Or it could make me miss you even more and do something desperate like quit and march into the White House and declare my love for you in front of whoever is..."

"Stephen would tackle you to the floor instantaneously." Olivia interrupted.

"Damn it. Why couldn't I have fallen for some nice and normal girl?" He asked with a grin. His thumb began to rub circles on top of her hand.

"I'm nice!" she demanded.

"That was a good idea about Quinn. It'll keep Huck off my ass when he starts missing her and driving me insane with his whining."

"I'm full of good ideas." she told him. "So, what's the next step in this job?"

"We'll have a meeting with Alena to hammer out the details and then get started. We should be in Ohio by next week. No later than the week after." Fitz explained.

Olivia frowned. "Then why are we sitting around here like two sad sacks on our last night on Earth? We've got a week, maybe two. Let's get those pants off!"

"Are you ordering me around?" Fitz asked in disbelief.

"Take a look around, Mr. Grant. We are in my office. This is where the President of the United States gets shit done!"

I thought we were just gonna make out for a few minutes, Liv."

She frowned at him. "Make out with each other? What are we behind the high school bleachers? Get your pants off now!"

"You're a demanding little thing when you've had a bad day, aren't you?" Fitz asked grinning. He was wise enough to also be unzipping his pants as he spoke. "Don't answer that. Just come here and let me put my hands on you."

He lunged at her waist but she evaded with a giggle and dashed toward the fireplace. "It seems like you're gonna have to catch me first."

"Fine. Just know this..." He looked her straight in the eye and in a serious warning tone informed her, "I'll be gentler on you if you walk into my arms right now than if I have to chase you down."

She shivered visibly and seductively replied, "chasing me it is."


	16. Going Public

**Going Public**

"Are you feeling threatened?"

"As if."

"Unloved?"

"Shut up."

"Overlooked then? I mean, what is it, Huck?" Fitz asked full of exasperation. "Why are you dragging your ass on this?"

"All I'm asking is how well do you know him? Really know him?"

"We went to college together."

"You've been out of college for a really long time, man. People change. He may not be the all around great guy that you remember. He could be an asshole now."

"Wow. You really are feeling threatened, aren't you?"

Huck scoffed. "No. But the fact that you think I am says a lot about how things around here are going to change once he arrives."

"Nothing is going to change! Jesus! You are my right hand man. We have worked together for seven years now. My bringing Harrison in isn't going to change that. I don't know how much plainer I can reassure you on that point." Fitz was frustrated. "Besides, he isn't on the inside yet anyways. It's just a meeting to see how things go. He may not even be interested."

"He's interested."

"How in the hell could you possibly know that?"

"Who takes a meeting about a potential new job and isn't interested."

Fitz paused a second to think that one over. "Good point."

"If you're bringing in someone new, then so am I."

"What? No! You're absolutely not!"

"You just said it yourself. I'm your right hand man. There is only one person you trust more than me and we both know why she's got the number one spot." Huck's eyes darted down to Fitz's crotch before flicking back up to his face.

"Stop looking at my junk, man. It's creepy." Fitz shot back. They needed more people on the Alena Maxwell campaign.

Fitz and Huck had met with Mrs. Maxwell and Ms. Scott a few days ago and it had gone very well. The four of them discussed her campaign in great detail. Fitz shot down the idea of a carbon copy campaign of Liv's presidency. Instead, they offered similar ideas in different settings, meeting with different groups of Ohio voters, and the importance of an online presence. Everything was well received, but there were things that had Fitz feeling uneasy. Things he would need help handling. It was clear that he that he and Huck would need more hands on deck.

The idea of wooing Harrison from the firm he was currently working at was something that put a little fire in Fitz's belly. He and Harrison Wright had been great friends at college. They had kept in touch off and on after graduating and eventually went their separate ways, but life and work had kept them busy and the contact became less and less frequent. These days it was practically non existent.

Fitz had reached out to Harrison after the meeting with Alena and discussed the possibility of him coming to work at his firm. Harrison had been open to the idea, and Fitz set up a meeting for the three of them to meet and discuss the details. Huck's reaction of suspicion and jealousy was surprising to Fitz. He came off as confident in all things. To know that he was feeling threatened made Fitz regard him as slightly more human than robotic. It was nice that Huck could still surprise him after so many years.

"What time is the meeting with Harrison set up for tomorrow?"

"You never look at the schedule." Fitz sighed. "It's at three."

"Then I'll have my applicant set up for the following day at three. Having their interviews at the same time on consecutive days will make things easier."

Fitz sighed. "Fine. I expect you to give me your honest unbiased opinion of Harrison after the interview is over. I also expect you to have some questions for him. I don't want to hear you crying bullshit if he gets the job because you whiffed."

"Fine. Same goes for the person I bring in. You ask questions, and you don't bitch when you end up offering the job to them." Huck stated with confidence. "Now, if we're all done with this pissing contest, I've got some reaching out to do."

"By the way, don't even think about bringing in your girlfriend for the job. We are not working with our women here."

"She wouldn't let you boss her around. Get real." He pushed away from the conference room table and went to his office. Just before he closed the door, he whispered to no one at all, "what a dick."

"Asshole." Fitz muttered under his breath.

"We've got incoming." Huck announced from his office the following day. He had his applicant all booked for an interview with him and Fitz for tomorrow. He could hardly wait to see the look on Fitz's face. He met his co-worker in front of the elevator and glanced at his watch. It was two fifty five. "It's gotta be your bestie."

"Shut the hell up and act professional."

"You shut the hell up." Huck retorted and shot him a scowl.

The doors slid open and the man inside the elevator gave the men standing in front of him the once over before stepping out. He was wearing a black suit with a purple and white gingham dress shirt underneath and purple tie. He even had a purple fabric square poking up from the left breast pocket of his jacket. Huck had never seen anything like this before. He liked how put together this man came across.

Harrison nodded curtly. "Gentlemen."

"Wow! Look at Mr. Smooth." Fitz said with a huge grin. "Bring it in big guy."

The two of them gave a one armed hug and quick pound on the back before parting again. "You look..." Harrison gestured with his hands, trying to come up with a word. "Nice."

Huck chuckled as he stood at attention.

"You must be Huck." Harrison said, sticking out his right hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Wright."

"Nah, dude. I'm just Harrison. Unless there are women around. Then you can call me Mr. Wright." Harrison informed him with a conspiratorial grin. "It's nice to meet the only other guy Fitz never shuts up about."

"Oh kay. You don't need to say shit like that to him. It makes his head swell." Fitz said.

"What does he say about me?" Huck inquired.

"Jesus." Fitz said, shaking his head.

"Just that you're the best IT guy this side of the Mississippi. That you're fast too. You get shit done."

"It'd be nice if he said that to my face once in a while."

"Remember. Professional." Fitz warned.

"Oh! You want this to be professional? Got it." Harrison stated.

"Let's go to the conference room." Huck suggested. When they got there, Huck asked, "would you like some water or coffee? Maybe a cappuccino?"

"You have a cappuccino maker here?" Harrison asked, clearly impressed.

"No. Fitz wouldn't spring for it." Huck stated.

Fitz pointed at his counterpart. "Fuck you, Huck."

"That doesn't sound professional to me." Harrison chuckled. "He's got you there, man. Look, let's loosen up here. We are just three guys talking about a job prospect. Let's get down to it."

"Fine by me." Fitz stated. "I have a copy of your resume here. You've brought in some pretty big clients at the firm you're currently working at. That's commendable."

"Thanks, man. I'm a go getter." Harrison looked over at Huck and added, "I am also a get shit done kinda guy. Mostly, I'm a numbers man. Money is my specialty. I would have made a hell of an accountant, but I have a vast array of other skills to offer too."

"I'm glad you brought up the money. We are about to embark on Alena Maxwell's campaign for the Senate seat in Ohio. Huck and I have met with her and her team, and are ready to hit the ground running there. But we need a few more people on our team."

"That's a pretty big first client for me, if I came on board."

"You're coming on board." Huck stated with a smile.

"You're confident. I really like this guy." Harrison told Fitz.

"Anyway...I need someone who can run the money, and that's where you come in, Harrison."

"She doesn't have someone doing that already? Like since before day one?" Harrison asked in a voice laced with skepticism.

"She does..." Fitz began. He didn't know how to explain the situation without sounding like an asshole.

"She does," Huck said, picking up the ball. He didn't mind being an asshole. He almost lived for it where Fitz was concerned. "But she's incompetent. And she's got a crazy streak."

"What he said." Fitz agreed. "We only met with her briefly, but it was obvious that she will have to be let go. You will be in charge of Alena's campaign funds. The comings and goings of it. Who gives donations and why and when. Every last detail of the financials is your job." Fitz explained.

"I can do that in my sleep. Where is the challenge?" Harrison asked with a shrug. "You know I love a challenge."

"You will have to go through her personal financial accounts as well as the ones for the campaign and figure out where every penny came from. There can't be any money coming from places or companies that we don't want it coming from."

"What if it's already in there?"

"Then we issue refunds and apologies. That will be all yours to deal with too." Fitz answered.

"You really know how to make a guy say yes." Harrison said dryly. "What is my salary?"

"How much do you make at that little firm you are currently working for?" Fitz held up a hand before he could answer. "Whatever your yearly salary is, add thirty percent."

Harrison was impressed. Fitz had carved out a nice little operation for himself here. It was obvious that he was making good money, had important clients, and had a nice balance with this Huck guy. He wanted in. He was bored to death at his current little firm. He wasn't challenged at all. Still, he didn't want to appear too desperate.

On the other hand, Harrison was eager to be around friendly faces with a firm who offered something a little more exciting. The hike in pay sealed the deal. "Done."

"You're too easy." Huck said with a chuckle. "He would have gone to forty."

"Shut up." Fitz told him. He plastered on a smile and got to his feet. "Welcome to Grant and Associates. Let me show you to your office."

Harrison gave his boss immediate notice the moment he got back from the interview with Fitz and Huck. He took a long lunch the following afternoon in order to sit in on the other interview. The three men were drinking coffee at the conference room table and shooting the breeze when a skinny redhead timidly walked in unannounced.

Fitz got to his feet immediately and buttoned his suit jacket. "Hello. Can I help you?"

"I hope so. My name is Abby Wheelan and I have an appointment."

"Huck? Did you know about this? I don't remember seeing a client listed on the schedule?" The confusion was clearly written all over his face.

"She's not a client." Huck said casually.

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit confused here." Fitz told Abby.

"She's our three o'clock interview." Huck explained.

"Ohhh!"

"This just got interesting." Harrison piped in with a grin. He got to his own feet and held out a hand for her to shake. "Harrison Wright. Nice to meet you, Ms. Wheelan."

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Wright." Abby told him with a smile. He was cute. Great dresser. Probably spent more money on clothing than she did.

"Call me Harrison."

"I'm Fitzgerald Grant." He held out his right arm and shook her hand too.

"The name on the door. Good to know the pecking order around here."

"And I assume you already know Huck. He's my right hand man. Been with me for years. I assume you knew that too?"

"I didn't. I've never met him before now." Abby informed him. "What about Harrison here?"

"College buddy of mine. Just got hired yesterday." Fitz replied.

"That makes me your superior by a day." Harrison told her with a confident smile.

"Yea, you wish pretty boy." Abby told him sassily. "So. This is a boys club. I'm surprised I was even invited to interview for a job here at Grant and Associates. Why was I? For clarification."

"To be completely honest," Fitz began. "I had no idea who Huck was bringing in to interview. We needed new blood. More people working for our newest client, who is fairly high profile. Huck and I agreed to each select someone to bring in to interview as a way to keep things fair. I poached Harrison from a firm nearby. He interviewed yesterday, as he said, and was offered a job on the spot. I know his work ethic as well as know him personally. He is going to be a good fit around here. And, I trust Huck implicitly, so if he is vouching for you, that says a lot. It also means you have a lot to live up to."

"Let's do this." Abby told him confidently. "Here is my resume. Let me know if you have any questions."

Fitz looked it over. Everything seemed to be in order. She had been at her current firm for almost five years. That was a big deal. It showed that she was loyal, but it certainly didn't mean she deserved to work at his firm. He was beginning to wonder why Huck had sought her out when his eyes landed on the reason. "Huck, you beautiful son of a..." Fitz raised his head and clamped his lips shut. Harrison and Abby were looking at him and wondering why he would call a buzzcut wielding, flannel shirt wearing, tough guy beautiful.

But not Huck. Huck was grinning. "I know."

"Did you...?"

"Yup."

"Is she...?"

"Am I what?" Abby asking with a frown.

"Yea, I feel like I need to know too." Harrison asked with a furrowed brow.

"You don't." Abby informed him. "You're just as new here as I am."

"She certainly is." Huck replied with a grin.

"Wait a minute. I am what, exactly?"

"Holy shit! This is too easy!"

"I know, right. I know how to pick perfect people." Huck bragged.

That brought Fitz back to Earth. He pointed a finger at the computer genius and said, "I didn't say _that_."

"Can one of you please tell me what the hell you're talking about? As the person you are discussing, it's kinda my right to know." Abby told them. Her gaze went from Huck to Fitz. "I don't like this back and forth bullshit either. It's like the two of you are talking in code."

"Right?" Harrison said, agreeing with her.

"It's really weird." The redhead told him. "They finish each other's sentences like..."

"An old married couple." they said in unison.

"No, we don't!" Huck argued.

"Hell no!" Fitz reiterated.

"Relax. It's a compliment. It means you're in sync." Abby informed them.

"Don't ever say shit like that again, or you're fired." Fitz told her with a sneer.

"I'd like to know what the back and forth between the two of you was all about before I accept. Or am threatened with termination before I'm officially hired."

"You worked two years as an investigator before becoming a lawyer."

"So."

"Why didn't you stick with that?"

Abby shrugged lightly. "I was working all the time. Practically around the clock. I don't mind working long hours. I thrive on it, really. But I could sense burn out creeping up fast. One of my colleagues suggested I study to take the bar and become a lawyer. It came fairly easy to me once I got started. A few months in, I sensed a change. I preferred the structure being a lawyer provides."

"That's a really good answer." Fitz admitted. "How much are you making at your current job?"

"I'm not going to answer that question right here in front of your college buddy because we all know it's far less than any of you make, simply because I'm a woman doing the exact same job." Abby stated. "I'll gladly share that information in confidence with you and Huck in a private setting."

"That won't be necessary." Fitz said quickly, before anyone else tried to push her buttons with their brand of sarcasm. "What are you asking for?"

"I want whatever he's getting paid." Abby replied, and jerked her thumb at Harrison.

"That's adorable." Harrison quipped.

"That's non negotiable." Abby said with a nod, and settled herself back into her chair to wait for his next move.

"Done." Fitz replied. "This workplace has never been accused of being sexist, and we're not about to start now. You will be treated like an equal here, but that means you pull your own weight. That's fair. Any other questions or concerns?"

"What was that conversation spoken in half sentences between you and Huck all about?"

"I noticed that you were licensed as a private investigator. He confirmed it. Then I asked him if your license is still valid."

"I keep it current. You could have just asked me."

"That would have taken the fun out of it for all of us." Huck told her.

"Welcome to Grant and Associates, Ms. Wheelan."

Abby got to her feet. "Great. When do I start, and who is our big client, and what am I doing?"

"If you need to work a notice for your current employer you can start after that is completed."

"Nah. I don't."

"You will start by doing background checks on every person employed by Alena Maxwell."

"Alena Maxwell? The woman who is running for Senator for the state of Ohio?" Abby asked excitedly. "She's our big client?"

"Yes."

She frowned. "Shouldn't someone have already done that though?"

Harrison held up his palm and simply said, "slap it" which Abby did.

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"Because..." she began.

"Nope. That was rhetorical. Someone has done it, but that someone didn't work for me. I want someone on my team to get it done. I prefer to handle everything in house instead of taking it for granted that it's been done correctly. Can you deal with that?"

"Is that rhetorical too?"

"Of course." Huck supplied.

"Anyways...we will be leaving for Ohio in three days. I made it a weekend trip in case you two had to go back to your previous jobs. Apparently, that isn't an issue for either one of you, so we may end up staying longer than the weekend. Is that going to be a problem?"

" *********************

It wasn't a problem and the team of four landed safely in Cleveland Friday afternoon. It was a breezy but warm afternoon with temperatures in the low seventies. Once everyone's luggage was collected from baggage claim, they jammed into a taxi and headed toward their hotel.

Fitz sat up front, leaving the rest of the team cramped in the back seat. His phone began to ring and he reached for it from the pocket of his dress pants. One look at the face of it and a huge grin covered his face. He slid his finger across the screen and in a smooth baritone spoke one word. "Hi."

"Hi. You didn't call me when you landed." She half accused.

"I just got in the taxi. Give me time, woman."

"Fitz has a girl?" Harrison whispered to Huck.

Huck ignored him, but cleared his throat loudly to remind his boss that he wasn't alone in the car.

"Right. So, what can I help you with today?"

"Businessman Mr. Grant is no fun." The truth was, Olivia would take whatever version of him she could get. She had been sitting at her desk for most of the morning doing nothing but thinking about him. She missed him more than anything, and that was the reason for the call.

He chuckled at her. He already missed her too much. The sound of her voice did things to him. Made him brave. Too brave. "That simply isn't true, and you know it."

"I take it you aren't in the cab with just Huck? That your newly composed team is also with you? Is that why you are talking to me like a client?"

"That would be correct, ma'am."

"Never call me ma'am again, Fitz." Olivia warned.

"Uh oh!" Fitz said with a smirk. "Did I stumble upon something important? A button that could be pressed under the right circumstances? We could explore that."

"I kinda like this double oh seven thing you've got going on right now. Talking in code. Making it sound sexy. I'm going to be interrupting your day a lot more often."

"That could have a potentially dangerous outcome. I'm not sure that is wise under the circumstances."

"I'd love to be under your circumstances right now. I miss you." she flirted.

He could not afford to be getting hard right now! "You need to stop pursuing this. It's only going to end badly. I will look into it further when I'm settled into my room for the evening. Will you be available for a conference call to discuss everything in detail then?"

"Oh yes. I will move mountains to make myself available. Say nine o'clock?"

"Perfect. I'll speak to you then. Goodbye ma'am."

"Fitzgerald..."

But he ended the call. A satisfied smirk covered his face. He was going to make her pay for putting him on the spot like that, knowing his associates were in the car. Payback is a bitch, Liv he thought to himself as his smirk grew.

"Who was that?" Harrison asked.

Fitz cleared his throat. "Another client. A needy one who is very demanding of my time."

Huck chuckled but smoothly covered it with a cough.

The hotel was nice. Not over the top fancy, but not a shit hole either. The four rooms were paid for and the key cards handed out. As they rode the elevator up to the seventh floor, Fitz gave some instructions. "Go get settled into your rooms and meet me in the lobby in a half hour. We are going to head over to the courthouse and walk the grounds and make sure the vendor areas are clearly marked so they can easily find their spots in the morning to set up for the campaign kick off.

We'll come back here and have a working dinner in the business center afterwards. Alena will be joining us once she arrives and gets checked into her room. She wants to meet the two of you and go over the itinerary we've already created, to familiarize herself with it. We've got a lot to do tonight to make sure tomorrow's kick off goes off without a hitch. Bring your A game.

Also, we are hitting the ground running tomorrow with Alena's campaign. We will leave here at six a.m. and head to the courthouse on the square. We will make sure everything is running smoothly, check and double check everything. It's going to be a very long, very busy day tomorrow."

Harrison nodded as he listened. He was charged up. There was little he lived for in his professional life than a challenge. He was up for it. In fact, he had already begun doing research on the state of Ohio, getting a lay of the land. He was about to impress the hell out of Fitz. "Half hour. Got it."

Abby had already come up with a mock itinerary of campaign stops for the Senator to be. She had done her homework on Ohio at home and learned quite a bit about it, the people who lived here, and what was important to them. Oh, and she had an ace up her sleeve. Her new boss and co workers were going to be impressed by the only woman on the team. "That works."

The meeting with Alena and her team went well. She was very impressed with their ideas for a successful campaign.

Fitz, Huck, Harrison, and Abby arrived at the courthouse early the next morning to see that vendors had already started setting up the areas that had been assigned them. There were many more that still hadn't gotten there, so Fitz took the opportunity to walk around one last time before the masses invaded the space.

By eleven o'clock, things were in full swing. There was a wide variety of food and crafts being sold at the annual festival. People had come from the surrounding towns to get in on the fun of the day, as well as take the opportunity to meet their potential new Senator. Alena was scheduled to take the podium any minute to announce that she was officially running.

Abby was well aware of the time. She knew that it was time. She pulled Fitz aside. "Hey, I need a quick word with you."

"Not now, Abby. Alena is about to take the podium, and I need to keep an eye on her."

"It's about that, actually. I don't know how to tell you this, but I have a rather large surprise planned."

He squinted at her. "What are you talking about? There are no surprises today. I don't do surprises at work. I hate them. Whatever you have planned should have been run by me first."

"Well, it's too late for that. The surprise is here." she told him. Her eyes flicked over his shoulder as she saw her surprise walk toward the podium. He was either going to love her or hate her. There would be no in between.

"What are you talking about? What surprise?"

"Well, I had to pull out something big to prove that I'm worthy to be on the team. And to show that I can get shit done. So, I brought a big one."

"You are three seconds from losing your job." he hissed. "You need to tell me what the hell you're talking about and you need to tell me..."

Loud cheering interrupted his scare tactics with the redhead. "HELLO, OHIO! My name is..."

Fitz whipped his head around to the podium behind him. "Olivia? What the hell is she doing here?"

The cheering was really loud, and Fitz doubted Abby even heard him. But she had. "That's the surprise I've been trying to tell you about. I reached out to the President and invited her here. She's going to introduce Alena and give her endorsement."

"What?" he spat out. He wanted to tell Abby to go back to the hotel, pack her shit, and go home. But he was riveted to what Olivia was saying. She had on a black dress and her beloved heels. She looked like a vision, and he wanted nothing more than to storm the micro phoned area and pull her into his arms right here in front of everyone.

He didn't do any of that. Instead, he continued watching her address the crowd. She always did know how to energize people. Especially in her home state. His blue eyes left his unobstructed view of the President to look at the faces of the people in the crowd. They were smiling. Some had shocked faces, much like the one he assumed he had worn when he heard her begin to speak.

"...She's a great leader, who will put your needs first. And that's why I'm endorsing Alena Maxwell as the next Senator of Ohio. Thank you." She couldn't wait to see his face. She couldn't wait to kiss his face. Having the upper hand was such a rush. Olivia made her way over to where Fitz stood with a tall lean redhead.

Fitz watched her shake a few hands and take quite a few pictures on her way over to him. Finally, she was standing right in front of him. The urge to hold her was almost overwhelming.

"Hi." she said with a big smile.

"Hi." It was all his tongue would let him say at the moment.

"Hello, Madam President. My name is Abby. I'm the one who asked you to come to today's event. Thank you for that, by the way."

"You're most welcome. Thank you for inviting me. I always love coming back to my home state. And, I think we surprised your boss." Olivia told her, as she kept her eyes on Fitz.

He smiled back. It still didn't seem real that she was here. He still didn't know quite what to say either. He tried to think of something, any reason to get rid of Abby so he could talk to Liv, but nothing came to mind. He surely looked like an idiot just standing there mutely.

"Mr. Grant. I'd like to invite you out to dinner tonight. If you're available?" Olivia asked.

That did it. "Of course, Madam President. Do you need my firm's services for something specific?"

She smiled at him. She was done waiting. "No. I'd like to take you out on a date."

"Holy shit!" Abby muttered. She knew deep in her bones that she was interfering in a private moment, and should excuse herself, but she couldn't quite bring herself to do so, and continued to watch the show.

"What do you say, Fitz?" She would remember this moment and the look on his face for the rest of her life.

He stared into her playful chocolate eyes. She was serious. She was enjoying the fact that she had stunned him, but she was serious. If this was how she wanted to handle this, he could get behind that. "I say yes. What time shall I pick you up?"

"Oh no, no, no. I'll pick you up. I invited you after all. Will six o'clock be okay?" Olivia wanted to kiss him right now, and if he licked his damn lips one more time, she vowed to herself that she would do it.

His senses were starting to slowly come back to him. She was no longer looking him in the eye. She was staring at his mouth. Somebody wanted to be kissed. The realization brought a smirk to his face. "Six will be fine. I'm staying at..."

"I know where you're staying. I'll see you at six." She winked at him before walking away with her Secret Service agents.

"Did that really just happen?" Abby asked in complete amazement. "Did the President of the United States just ask you out on a date?"

"I'm glad you were here to witness it, because I was wondering if I was imagining things."

"So, you weren't expecting that?"

"I didn't even know she was here. How could I have possibly expected that?"

"Good point. Wow. If you need to leave a little early to get ready, me and the guys can handle this."

"I don't think that will be necessary."

"She is the President. You don't exactly want to keep her waiting."

"Listen Abby. Normally, I would have lost my mind over that sort of thing. I really don't appreciate surprises at work."

"But it worked because she asked you out?" Abby asked in a hopeful tone.

"No. That has nothing to do with this. You went for it. You reached out to the President, knowing this was her home state. That shows initiative. It's outside the box thinking and it shows that I made the absolute right choice in hiring you."

Abby's timid smile turned big a full of pride in an instant. "Thank you for saying that. It means a lot. And you're welcome."

"Just keep me in the loop next time, okay?"

She nodded, and the two of them went to talk to Alena. She was beyond thrilled to have the backing of the President, and to have had her endorse her in person. Fitz gave the well deserved thanks to Abby.

Once the event was over, and the crowds were all but completely gone, Fitz and his team got into a cab and left. The ride back to the hotel was fairly quiet. There was a little chatter between Harrison and Abby about how it had gone overall, and the shock of the introduction of the President. Harrison congratulated her once again for pulling that off quietly.

They were dropped off at the hotel and got in the elevator. There were no eloquent words, so Fitz kept it simple. "You all did great work today. It was a fantastic kick off event. Our client is very happy with the results. You all are free to enjoy the evening however you wish."

"You wanna go get some drinks with us?" Harrison asked. "To celebrate?"

"I'd love to, but I can't. I have a date." Fitz replied with a grin. He didn't explain anything, but left them to their own elevator dinged and they went to their rooms.

A black sedan pulled up in front of the hotel at precisely six and Fitz got in the back seat. He had showered after getting back into his room and put on dress pants and a button up shirt. It was just dinner. "Hey, Tom. Jeffery."

"Hey, Fitz." Olivia teased.

Instead of answering her, Fitz snaked his hands around her waist, and pulled her closer. He wasted no time capturing her lips in a sizzling kiss. Her fingers threaded into his hair, and he sunk deeper into the kiss. He broke it as abruptly as he started it and smiled at her.

"It's nice to see you too." she told him.

"You wanna tell me why you asked me out in front of one of my co-workers?"

"I'm done waiting. We are being together now. I endorsed Alena because I believe in her. Because I believe she is the best person to do the job in my home state. I also did it because I want it to be clear that there is no conflict of interest for you."

"She is very qualified, and I think she will do great things. What does that have to do with you asking me out in front of Abby?"

"I don't want to wait any more. I want us to begin dating publicly. We needed a witness to see your surprise to me asking you out, and Abby provided that."

"Look at you with all the answers." he told her with a grin.

"I ain't the President for nothing. Now, I'm starving. What do you want for dinner?"

The sarcasm he wanted to throw at her dissolved on his tongue. She had taken control of things and made the big first move to make their relationship public. He was too damn happy and proud of her to be sarcastic at the moment. He decided to let her continue to take the lead. "I'm up for whatever you decide."

The double meaning was not lost on Olivia. She couldn't exactly invite him back to her hotel after their first date. The local press had already been called to the restaurant for a big story. It felt like the right thing, beginning their relationship publicly where it all began privately a few years ago. They would have to act a little bit in the beginning, but things would click between them quickly and they would move forward together in the public eye.

She leaned her head on his shoulder as the two of them held hands in the car. Olivia had zero reservations about her earlier actions. They loved each other, and it was time they were together. Life was too short for that.

The car pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant and Fitz helped Olivia out of the car as Secret Service waited patiently. Other agents had already checked the restaurant once she had let them know where she intended to go and with who. Cameras flashed repeatedly and shouts of "look over here" reverberated throughout the excited group in front of the doors leading inside.

Fitz took it all in stride. He let Olivia do the talking. She was the one leading the way. He kept his hand on her back the entire time and proudly watched her address the press.

"I'm going to keep this brief, mainly because I'm hungry."

The group chuckled and listened intently.

"I was invited to introduce Alena Maxwell earlier today as she announced her bid to run for Senator of Ohio. When I had done my part, I ran into my friend Mr. Grant and asked him to join me for dinner."

"So, this is a work related dinner?" Someone asked.

Olivia looked over at the man who had asked the question with a blank expression. Fitz held his breath. A smile crept across her face and she answered him specifically. "This dinner has nothing to do with work. Truth be told, it's a date."

Fitz bit the inside of his cheek to keep his proud smile from growing more obnoxious. He nodded curtly at the group as they yelled more questions and took even more photos. Fitz opened the door for his beautiful date and led her inside. He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "I love you" before rubbing her back as they were immediately led to their table.


	17. Olitz

**Olitz**

Things between Fitz and Olivia had gone from quiet and secretive, to openly thrust into every home in America overnight. Celebrity reporters had quickly caught on to the cute name the public had given them and used it daily when reporting about their whereabouts. Olitz. Respected television reporters used it everywhere except when they were on the air.

Now that their relationship was public, everyone wanted to see them. Wanted to know everything about America's perfect 'it' couple. Most of the press was positive, happy to see that the nation's leader was living her life after loss, and had found happiness with someone new. Someone well respected, educated, and informed on something other than himself. Someone like able even.

But there were those who found it their joy in life to be negative, picking apart every aspect of the seemingly new thing. They didn't like that they had worked on a campaign together. Or that he had been friends with the First Gentleman. Or that he still helped the White House whenever he was needed. Their unnecessary noise was a mere whisper in comparison to the vast number of people who loudly and over joyously supported the couple.

Fitz had a sit down talk with his new associates in his Ohio hotel room to keep them in the loop. The press followed them around for Alena's campaign, but each day a few more were camped out in front of the hotel they were staying at. They would pepper questions at Fitz about his relationship with the President. His thinking was that his happy little trio might get asked about his relationship with the President, and he wanted them to have the facts so that was the only thing shared with the information hungry gossip mongers.

"By now you are all well aware of the fact that I am dating President Pope. Before the two of you were added into our little family, Huck and I kept our private lives private. Even from each other. We didn't discuss who we dated or when or why. Now though, I feel that rule has to change. For me anyways. No one else in this group needs to feel compelled to share any details of their personal life."

"Thank God." Abby whispered.

"Right." Harrison agreed quietly.

"I am discussing it with you because now that my name is out there, you might get stopped and asked about it simply because you work with me. The last thing I want is for misinformation to be spread. The press does a good enough job at distorting the facts on the regular. We don't need to add to that. And we're not going to. The fact of the matter is that Olivia and I had our first date over a month ago, but the press was not privy to it. They had no knowledge of it at all in fact. Still don't as far as I know."

"How did you manage to do that?" Abby asked as she sipped her coffee.

"I took her to the fair. We went at night and she was fairly unrecognizable. We had a great time too."

"And that was your very first date? The two of you never went out before that?" Harrison asked. Something about this seemed a little too put together in his opinion. He didn't care if his old friend had been dating the President for years. He would protect him at all costs. He would definitely protect the first female leader of the free world too. But he was curious, and this seemed like a safe space to ask his questions.

"Yes. That was our first date." Fitz answered. It was the truth. He wasn't about to tell his newly hired group the history of his relationship with Liv. It was oddly comforting to him that Huck knew everything. But it was none of Harrison's or Abby's business. They only needed to know how to move forward with the information. "I was brought on as a fixer for Ms. Pope by Cyrus Beene, her now Chief of Staff, before she even began her campaign for President. She didn't get me the job. I do not want that to be an issue. Also, I never influenced any policies she made once she became the President. I am a fixer. I fix things. But I do not fix her. Never have. Never will."

We have been friends for years and have worked alongside each other for years. Just recently we began seeing each other as something other than that. It is relatively new and because she is the President, and the first female, first black woman, I am fiercely protective. Personally and professionally. You will not get updates of my personal life unless the status changes, so don't ask. I fully expect you to answer any and all questions directed at you in a truthful straight forward manner. Do not add your assumptions or guesses or feel the need to fill in any blanks yourselves. And while I expect the press to do all of that themselves, this is my life and I intend to keep as much of it private as possible. Any questions?"

"Not from me." Harrison stated. "The two of you seem like every other couple. You're pretty boring. I kinda expected more."

"Same goes for me. Just know that whether this ends badly or the two of you get married, we've got your backs." Abby told him.

"Thanks everyone. I appreciate it. Now. As you know, I am going to head back to DC for a week. I know the three of you are beyond capable of handling things here for Alena in my absence. We will stay connected about the campaign as a team. Call me if you need anything at all. I will be doing my part from there, as well as meeting with other clients. Huck, walk with me."

When the two of them were a good distance away from Harrison and Abby, Huck reassured Fitz. "Don't worry. It sounded real."

"I wasn't gonna ask you that." Fitz told him. He was, but he wasn't going to tell him that now.

"Yea you were. They don't need to know the specifics of your personal life. Timelines and all that. You didn't lie. Stop worrying."

"I'm not worrying." Fitz told him with a scowl.

Huck simply stared at him.

"Fine. I'm worried a little bit. I don't want them saying anything to the press about Liv."

"They won't."

"How do you know that for certain?" Fitz asked.

"Because I'm going to have my own talk with them once you're gone. It'll be much scarier and more to the point."

"I thought I covered it pretty well."

"You did, Nancy. Relax. I'm just going to reiterate the importance of being a team and taking care of each other. If some old photos of things I did to people while I was in the CIA slip on the floor between us, well...that will be enough to scare the shit out of them." Huck stated without any hint of humor.

"Don't call me Nancy."

"Yea, you look more like a Becky." Huck teased.

"Shut up. Don't scare them too badly. Now that I've worked with them some, I think we've put together a pretty decent team of associates. I don't want to lose either one of them."

"That's why you're the mom." Huck informed him. "You worry too much. And you coddle them."

"What?! I do not worry about them, and I damn sure don't coddle them! I am _not_ the mom!" Fitz hissed quietly.

"I look more like the dad than you do." Huck cupped his chin and scraped his fingers across the stubble on his face. "You've got those pretty curls and soft features."

Fitz grinned and ran a hand through the hair at the back of his neck. "You really think my curls are pretty?"

"Shut up." Huck said in a threatening tone. He always had to push it too far.

Fitz climbed into the back of a taxi as Huck watched. He pushed a button that let the window down. He couldn't help himself. Before the taxi took off he said, "kiss the kids for me."

"Asshole." Huck muttered.

The moment Fitz was in DC, he crawled into the back of another taxi and called Olivia. Her couldn't wait to see her. She answered on the third ring. His mind vaguely reminded him to be careful of what he said in the presence of the driver. "Hi."

"Wellllll, if it isn't Mr. Olitz." Olivia said with a chuckle.

The stupid grin on his face was unmistakable. "Who's fault is that?"

"If we're playing the blame game, I'll happily take the responsibility for that. One of us had to get their ass in gear and make this thing legit. Leave it to a woman to get things done."

"Your curls aren't as pretty as mine." he fired back.

"What?" she asked with a laugh.

"Nothing. Just something Huck said to me before I left."

"How is my..."

"Nope." Fitz said firmly, cutting her off. "He's not your anything. You're already in a very committed relationship with the catchiest little name in the world. It's on the tip of everyone's tongue in America."

"I need to be on the tip of your tongue. Very soon."

God love her for getting right to it. "Agreed. When can I see you?"

"Today would be nice, buuuut since you're in another state I guess I'll just have to..."

"What if I wasn't? In another state I mean?" He could hear the gears moving in her head through the deafening silence in the line. The smile on his face was automatic.

"Where do you find yourself this afternoon, Mr. Grant?" She tried to keep her voice light and uninterested, but inside she was already more excited than she probably should be.

"I could be on fifteenth street." he replied with a hint of mischief.

She inhaled sharply and a feeling of excitement came over her. "You're here? In DC?"

"I said I could be." he teased.

An excited sound came from her lips. "You _are! _You're here!"

"Did you just shriek?"

"I most certainly did not! I squealed."

"What's the difference?" he asked as his grin doubled.

"Ladies do not shriek. When are you coming to see me? We need to make that tip of the tongue thing happen really soon and...Oh! This is perfect!"

"Somebody is all wound up to see me."

"What? No! Not at all." She told him in a bored tone. "I have something of importance to discuss with you. I actually have a busy afternoon. I can probably fit you in around five thirty."

"Are you going to be able to fit every inch of me in at five thirty?" he asked lustfully. He knew better than to start with her, but he couldn't help himself. He couldn't wait to get his hands on her now.

"Oh, I definitely will." She answered back, just as lustfully.

He was imagining it now and was getting harder by the second. His brain was shouting at him to stop with the seductive talk or getting out of the cab would be a form of public indecency. He tried to change the subject. "Uhhhh, whaaaat was the thing you wanted discuss with me?"

He sounded like he was having a hard time, and she decided to ease up on him. "There's an event."

"Yes." He said, answering the unasked question.

"Yes what?"

"Yes, I'll go with you."

"You don't even know what it is, when it is, or where it's at." He was here! Her day just got infinitely better. She wondered how many things she could cancel on her schedule to spend a little more time with him.

"It doesn't matter. I'm in."

"What if there's a conflict with your schedule?"

"My work husband will fix it." he told her matter of factly.

"Your what?"

"Nothing. I'll tell you later. I'll see you at five thirty sharp. Keep that slot open for me."

"Fitz, you can't just say things like..."

He ended the call before she could throw something back at him and make his situation hard again. There would be time for that when he saw her. For now, though, he had a client to meet. The cab came to a stop in front of his office. He handed the driver a large bill, which covered the cost of the ride as well as a generous tip, and got out of the car.

Not long after Fitz arrived, a very familiar face stepped out of the elevator. He had been a famous actor once upon a time. He still played small parts on television shows as a guest, but the highlight of his career was definitely behind him. The gentleman looked nervous, but covered it fairly well as he strode confidently to the fixer and extended his hand. "Mr. Grant I presume."

"I am. Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like Robert Cooper?" Fitz asked with a smile.

"Every single day." The older man replied with a chuckle.

"Let's take this into the conference room." Fitz recalled Huck's automatic attempt to make their clients feel more at home. "Would you care for some coffee or tea? Bottled water perhaps?"

The new client waved his hand back and forth. "No, thank you. At my age, too much caffeine keeps me up at night."

"Alright. Let's get right to it then. What can I help you with, Mr. Cooper?"

"Last night, I was driving my car while intoxicated. I was leaving a friend's house after a little celebrating. It was about two a.m. at the time and there weren't any cars on the road. I didn't think I was that impaired, but it became apparent to me when I got to the first stop sign. I went past the sign before I stopped. About ten feet past it."

Fitz sat silently and waited for him to continue.

"I only live ten minutes away from my friend, so I thought if I went slow, I could make it home undetected and sleep it off."

"But that's not what happened?"

"No." He felt like a jackass, telling this truth to a complete stranger, but it was going to come out sooner or later and he needed help. Professional help. I was stopped at the red light about three blocks from my house waiting for the light to change when a car pulled up beside me. I heard a bunch of noise and looked around, wondering what the hell was going on. There was a couple of guys around my age in the car beside me. They were screaming something, but I couldn't hear them because my window was up. So, I rolled it down.

They said, 'aren't you that guy from the tv show back in the day called Encompass? The one about racing cars?'

I told them that yea, that was me when I was younger and smarter. They told me that they were shooting a low budget film about street racing. Something called Night Racers and asked me if I'd be interested in being in it. The passenger even got out of the car and handed me his business card. Can you believe that?" He asked with a chuckle. "I told them no. That I was too damned old for that type of character.

Then they asked for my autograph, but I told them that it had been a long night and I was going home. They weren't happy that I wasn't complying with their request. So, they asked me to race them to the next light. They tried to convince me that it would be better than an autograph. My fuzzy head rationalized that I'd get home faster if we raced, so I agreed. They laughed and said they were going to record it on their phone for a unique memory."

"What happened?" Fitz asked.

"I beat them to the light. I blew right past it. Hell, I was so proud of myself I threw my empty bottle of beer out the window and kept on going."

"That's bad." Fitz said nodding. "Not the end of the world, but bad."

"The light was red." Mr. Cooper admitted.

"You didn't hit anyone, did you?"

"Thankfully no."

"So, what do they want?"

"They have sent an email to my agent explaining what they are in possession of, and that they will take it to the police where I will most likely get arrested for drunk driving and street racing. The cops will probably come up with other charges that could stick too. It'll ruin me, and I won't be able to film my new movie. It wouldn't be that big of a deal, but it's supposed to be my last before I retire."

"What do they want in exchange?"

"They want me to do a cameo in their short film. If I agree to do that, then they will hand over the footage they shot from their phone. I have until tomorrow morning to let them know my answer." Mr. Cooper slid a copy of the email across the table.

"What does your agent say about you doing the cameo?"

"He's more upset about the drunk driving charges and how that will affect the public image of me. I've always been really careful about it in the past. The truth is, it's been a problem for a really long time. I've just been avoiding dealing with it because I enjoy drinking and I've never hurt anyone before."

Fitz looked at the older man. He was known for being an actor, but he seemed absolutely sincere. "What would you like to see happen?"

"What do you mean? The end result?"

Fitz nodded.

"I'd like for the video to never see the light of day. I'm also big enough of a man to admit that I know I have a drinking problem, and that it might be time for me to deal with that. I'm too old for this kind of shit. I think I need...professional help with it. You know what I mean?" He felt like an absolute failure to have let alcohol consume and affect his life like it had for the past few decades. He might be at the end of his life, but he'd rather it be with a clear head and without worries of abhorrent behavior plaguing him.

"The hardest part is admitting that you have a problem so you're taking a step in the right direction, I'd say. The real question is, are you doing this because you could go to jail or because you really want to change that aspect of your life?" Fitz asked.

"I'm not allowed to see my grand kids. I may not have hurt anyone physically with my drinking before, but I am usually very mean when I drink. The day my daughter had her first baby, I went out and got drunk, and then was dropped off at the hospital where I was kicked out and told to not get in touch with her ever again.

"I see."

"So, yea. It would be nice to be able to meet my three grand kids before I die. And it would be nice for them to see me as a decent guy instead of an asshole." He bunched his hands into fists and released them on a sigh. Looking up at the fixer for the first time since he started telling his story, Robert said, "I want to stop drinking completely. I want to start in a program after I fix this nightmare with these gentlemen. Do you think you can help me?"

His mind was working in overtime, and Fitz was quiet for a few minutes. "Here's what I think we should do. You want help with your alcoholism, so I think the first step is to get you checked into a rehabilitation center. The reason I'm suggesting that you deal with that first even though the other matter is time sensitive, is because once the other problem is dealt with, you will be more likely to forget following up with the root of the problem. And I'm only going to help you with everything if you make your sobriety a priority."

"That makes sense." Mr. Cooper agreed.

"Once that part is taken care of, then we will reach out to the two individuals who claim to have the video on their phone. We'll have some conditions to discuss."

"What are those going to be?" Robert asked. He liked that this guy was calling him out on his bullshit. He would definitely have conveniently forgotten about rehab for his drinking problem once the police issue had been resolved. This fixer knew what he was doing. And he was a straight shooter about it.

"Well, for starters, you will have to agree to do the cameo in their film. They have a video of you blowing through a red light and throwing a beer bottle out of the window of your car at two in the morning. There's no way around it, unless the video doesn't exist. If it does, you have to do it.

I'll get the video deleted from the phone and the cloud so it will never see the light of day. Then, I'll get them to sign an iron clad non disclosure agreement so they can never talk about it again either. That will include the reason why you agreed to be in their film to begin with. That should keep your acting legacy in tact.

As for the film, you will not be compensated for your part in it. Instead, the directors will donate whatever amount they planned to pay you to Alcoholics Anonymous. That has several benefits. There's no link to them blackmailing you to be in their movie, they are financially supporting the very disease that caused all of this to begin with, and the organization gets a hefty much needed donation."

"Wow. You really are as good as I've heard. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. There is still a lot to be done, but I'll reach out to these individuals immediately to get the ball rolling. The rest I'll take care of first thing in the morning and notify you with all of the details."

Mr. Cooper got to his feet and extended his arm. "I sincerely appreciate everything. I've always been the good time Charlie that everyone wants around for a laugh and a drink. Besides my kid refusing to see me, no one has ever actually tried to help me stop drinking. Thank you so much, Mr. Grant."

"I hope it works out for you, Mr. Cooper. I'll be in touch with you before lunchtime tomorrow."

Once his new client had left, Fitz made a call to a facility that he had helped others get into for substance abuse. He sent an email to the man who had reached out to his client's agent and set up a time to meet him tomorrow. Once all that was complete, it was time for Fitz to head to the White House. He locked the office door behind him, promising to leave work at work. At least while he was with Liv.

Upon arrival, he went inside and signed himself into the visitor's log, and was told to go to the Oval. He met Olivia as she was walking out of her office. "Madam President. Did you get pulled into a meeting? I can check in with you at a later time."

"No, it's fine. I've been locked in there for most of the day and I need a change of scenery. Do you mind?" Olivia asked.

"Not at all." They began walking down the hall as Secret Service followed close behind. "Where would you like to go?"

"I'm hungry."

"I get that from you a lot lately." he told her and bumped his shoulder against hers as they continued walking side by side. "You wanna hit up a Subway? Eat fresh and all that?"

"Funny. No. I thought we'd have dinner in the residence. Maybe watch a movie afterwards?"

Look at her. Dragging him to the residence to eat a meal in private and have her way with him. Watch a movie. Yea, okay! That was a cute cover story for the listening ears of the Secret Service. "Yea. Sounds fun. Do you have the movie Hitch?"

"Hitch? With Will Smith? From two thousand five? I don't know. Why?"

Fitz shrugged. "We are very similar in what we do for a living. It seems fitting. Do you have any popcorn? I can't watch a movie without it."

He was taking the movie idea a little too far. She hoped he understood that they were definitely not watching a movie. They were having sex! Energetic, hot, and very passionate sex. The two of them walked into the living room, where Olivia gave Tom and Jeffery a curt nod and closed the door in their faces. She grabbed the front of Fitz's shirt and began pulling it up from its tucked place in his pants. She looked up into his blue eyes, and naturally they were filled with mischief and he was smirking at her, not bothering to help in any way whatsoever.

"I'm out of popcorn." She informed him as she undid each white button on his shirt before opening it up to reveal his chest and splaying her hands on his warm skin. Her lips followed her hands. "Mmm, is that going to be a problem?" she asked between kisses.

He grinned down at her before she sunk to her knees in front of him and began anxiously unbuckling his belt with her quick and nimble fingers. He managed to choke out "I'll...try to make the best of it" before she wrapped those fingers around him and began sucking his hard length.

Her mouth felt like heaven on his skin as she tortured and teased, but fully pleased him. Her hands were on the backs of his legs, and she lightly kneaded the fuzzy skin there as she pulled him closer. His eyes were closed and Fitz was panting. He never wanted this ecstasy to end, but he also didn't plan on finishing like this. He had every intention of getting her sexy little body fully nude and fully aroused, and then driving himself repeatedly deep inside of her. He planned on bringing her to a somewhat loud and energetic release of her own, and then he'd follow her in orgasm. Fitz was nothing if not a gentleman.

Prying her hands from the backs of his legs, Fitz pulled her to her feet and tried not to laugh at her pouting face. "I'm sorry, but I have plans that really can't wait any longer."

Once their sexual needs had been met, it was time to refuel. They were sitting side by side in her large bed tangled up in the sheets, eating their dinner that had turned cold quite a while ago. "So, what's the news?"

"What are you talking about?" She asked, and took another bite. "This is really good cold! Maybe I'll start asking the chef to serve it cold from now on?"

"You might offend her if you do that." Fitz replied.

"How do you know my chef is a woman?" Olivia asked.

"It's my job to know all kinds of things." he told her with a grin.

"So, you know all about the place we've been invited to as our first public outing as a couple?"

Fitz stopped chewing and looked at her. "I haven't received an invitation."

"You haven't been to your house yet then, I assume?"

"I had to meet with a client at the office shortly after I got in town. Seeing you was much more important that going to my empty house. It's my next stop though. Where have we been invited?"

"The Met Gala."

"The Met Gala invited us to attend as a couple? That's a pretty big deal."

"I'm excited."

"So, we're going?"

"We're definitely going! If your schedule is open."

"I already told you I'd go. I'll make myself available."

Olivia shrieked for the second time that day.

They discussed the pros and cons of what they were doing. Neither one of them wanted to take for granted the amazing support the American people had shown to them – as individuals as well as a couple – but they wanted to be together. In the end, they opted to do just that.

Tonight was the evening of the Met Gala. It was a huge night for everyone who had been invited. It was also the Met Gala's anniversary and the theme was "About Time", taking a look back at fashion over the past one hundred and fifty years. Homes and hotel rooms all over New York were full of harried attendees getting their hair or make up done and were in various stages of getting dressed.

Every attendee but two.

Olivia and Fitz were in their hotel room, a suite in fact, but they weren't getting hair or make up done. And they weren't getting dressed. Quite the opposite, in fact. Neither one of them were wearing anything at all. They had much more pressing things to do at the moment.

Fitz thrust his hips, pressing Olivia's back into the mattress. She sighed with pleasure as her hands roamed his shoulders and easily kept up the lazy pace he had set for them.

They really didn't have time for this, but she'd insisted she had to have him before they left. Who was he to say no when she had been standing naked in front of him?

He had taken a chance and booked the large fancy suite for him and Liv to stay in the night before. Secret Service tried to be a pain in the ass about it, but he wasn't caving. They were together now, and while that most definitely meant Fitz had to do some bending, it also meant that her agents did too. He stuck to his guns and the President's protectors worked around it.

Fitz got the two bedroom grand suite at The Mark Hotel. He was a man in love, and that meant he could splurge on his girlfriend whenever he felt like it. Since their room was on the eleventh floor, Secret Service insisted that every room in the floors above and below the one the President would be staying in were empty. The hotel was beyond thrilled that she was staying with them, and complied without hesitation.

They locked eyes as their bodies continued to move in perfect harmony together. Warmth, passion, desire, and contentment were all there. But most of all there was love.

"This is nice."

"Sunshine is nice. This is so much more than nice."

"I didn't mean the sex." She chuckled. "I meant that fact that we stayed in this hotel room together last night. That we're going to get ready here together once I'm done with you. And that we're going to the freaking Met Gala together as a couple tonight, where everyone in the world will see us."

"Oh that. Yea, that's nice." He said with a grin. She was beautiful, and he had missed her while being in Ohio for the past couple of weeks. But now he was in DC for a while and he planned to spend as much time as possible with her.

"You know you love the simplicity of the every day, and that you and I get to experience it today. It's nice to see domesticated Olitz."

He pushed into her again and watched her face contort with pleasure. "I don't know how I feel about that nickname yet.. But...I do love going to bed with you, waking up next to you, and spending the day with you. One day we'll have that every single day for the rest of our lives, and I'll never take it for granted."

"I know our everyday isn't like everyone else's, but I'm not sorry."

"Don't be. I'm beyond proud that you're my President."

"I would be beyond proud if you could give me an orgasm soon." she teased.

"The Met Gala isn't going to start until you get there. I'm just making sure all the butterflies are gone so you can enjoy yourself tonight." he dipped his head and kissed her, but picked up the pace as requested.

Two hours later, the door of the unused smaller bedroom opened and Olivia stepped out from it and went into the spacious sitting area. Fitz had been watching television in his tuxedo as he waited for his date to get ready. He turned the tv off, got to his feet immediately, and gave her his full attention. "Wow! You look spectacular!"

He made a circular motion with his index finger, and Olivia smiled before turning in a circle in front of him for a more thorough inspection. "Why did you go with a gold gown? I thought red was your favorite color?"

"You don't go to the Met Gala wearing your favorite color. You go there to make a fashion statement that goes along with the theme." she explained.

Fitz nodded at her, knowing there was more of an explanation than that.

"I chose this dress because it's Presidential enough to please the people who choose my clothes, and because I feel like a fierce queen in this gown. Like a walking Oscar award or something. It's about time that a woman is President of the United States, and she doesn't look like a nineteen fifties housewife while doing so."

"Agreed. You look sexy as hell. The bare back of that dress is nothing we've ever seen on a First Lady before either. You are breaking all kinds of barriers in that gold creation. And you're making me want you again too."

She touched the corner of his tie and smiled up at him. "You look very handsome in your tux, Mr. Grant. Maybe we can find a dark corner somewhere once we get there?"

"You are going to be a fun date. I can tell." He gently touched his lips to hers and asked, "Are you ready?"

"MmmHmm. Let's go show the world what out on the town Olitz looks like."

The minute the limousine pulled up to the curb, the press knew it was the President. Pictures of the leader of the free world together with her fixer were the ones everyone was after. The continual flashes were blinding, but Fitz stepped out of the car, buttoned his jacket, and then went around to the other side and opened the door. The moment Olivia's hand was inside of his, the clicking and shouting became all consuming.

He stepped back and followed her lead. She was the one they wanted to see. He knew that, and he knew his place. Fitz was more than comfortable with it too. But then Olivia looked over her shoulder, gave him a smile, and held her right hand back. He proudly took her hand and walked beside her.

Olivia squeezed his hand, leaned close to him, and whispered, "we're in this together."

He kept his blue eyes on her brown ones as she smiled at him even bigger. They had a quick silent conversation and Fitz saw the answer to his unspoken question. He put his arm around her waist and slowly pulled her close as her hand rested against his chest. They were still wearing smiles as his head moved closer and his lips brushed across hers in a soft kiss.

The paparazzi lost their fucking minds.

"Over here!"

"This way!"

"Now _that's_ a Presidential look!"

"Turn to the left"

"Who are you wearing?"

"The two of you look spectacular!"

"Madam President!"

"Kiss her again!"

"Oh my god!"

"Look at them!"

"You look amazing!"

"They are stunning together!"

"Olitz is everything!"

There was no mistaking the look that crossed between the two of them. The President and Mr. Grant were head over heels in love with each other, and it seemed that they were ready for the rest of the world to know.

**BIG SHOUT OUT to Charlotte for doing the photo edit for this chapter. I posted it on Twitter. She is a genius! Thank you, reader for investing time in this story & for giving me feedback about it. I appreciate you so much!**


	18. Real Talk

**Real Talk**

Olivia and Fitz were in the residence enjoying breakfast at an ungodly early hour. They both had more meetings today than they had time for, but being people in demand meant they had to somehow make it work. They enjoyed their time together and made breakfast a priority, unless it was something of the utmost urgency that couldn't be helped, avoided, or rescheduled.

This morning, they were eating French toast and fresh berries. There would have been whipped cream, but it had gotten used the night before in a much more creative and satisfying manner. Olivia could have requested more from the kitchen, but she knew they still wouldn't use it for its intended purposes.

She loved her quiet, mostly uninterrupted time with Fitz every morning, and it was her favorite part of the day. They discussed their schedules, upcoming plans, whatever was on their minds really. Unless it was confidential, no topic was considered off limits between the two of them at the breakfast table.

Both of them were dressed and ready to tackle the day. He in a fitted black pinstripe suit, and she in one of her beloved dresses. Olivia took a moment to admire her handsome morning date. The way his lips held onto the plump, red, juicy fruit as he sunk his teeth into it. She never wanted to be a strawberry more than in that moment. She needed to think about something else. Anything else. Clearing her throat loudly, she decided it was the perfect time to bring something up.

"I'm going to host a dinner at the White House. It will be informal. Just a small gathering for a select group of people. No press allowed." Olivia stated.

Fitz put his newspaper down and gave her his full attention. She had an unmistakable flushed look on her face, and he wondered what could have possibly aroused her at the breakfast table. While his mind wondered on that, he kept up with the conversation. "That sounds interesting."

"I'm glad you think so. Consider this your invitation." She told him.

"You want me to come?" He asked.

"It would certainly defeat the purpose if you didn't." She didn't elaborate. She needed a full on conversation to keep her mind from running into the gutter with thoughts of his lips and teeth marking her skin in seen and unseen places.

He was oblivious to her inner struggle and he didn't understand the conversation they were having either. "You're hosting a dinner?"

"Yes."

"At the White House?"

"Yes."

"And you want me to attend?"

"Yes." She could do this all day. Needed to at the moment.

"Why?"

"Because I'm inviting a few of my close friends and you are inviting a few of yours."

"Why?" he asked again. He hated that repeating the one word question made him sound like a three year old, but it couldn't be helped.

"So they can get to know us. One day I won't be the President. I'd like to...I don't know...have Harrison over for dinner, but I won't have anything to talk about with him because I don't really know him."

"How will having him over for dinner at the Grant house be any different than having him at the White House?"

She smiled at the thought of legally becoming a Grant. She never wanted to take her husband's name when she got married. Something about it just didn't feel right. Olivia was fully on board with changing her last name when Fitz became her husband though. "Because he won't be the only guest at the table here. If there's a lull in the conversation with Harrison, there will be other people to talk to."

"That makes sense. Do you have a specific date in mind for this dinner?" Her smile at his mention of the Grant house didn't go unnoticed. He picked up another strawberry and watched her brown eyes zero in on it with laser like focus. So, that was what had her barely breathing.

As he brought the bright red berry to his mouth Fitz locked eyes with Olivia while her were focused elsewhere. When he opened his mouth, he saw her open her mouth in anticipation and flick her semi closed, very hazy, brown eyes up to his blue ones. He winked at her and gave a slight nod before his tongue landed on the strawberry and he brought it into his mouth. They were going to have strawberries a lot more often for breakfast. But first, he had to bring her back to reality. "Liv?"

"Hmm? Oh! Right! Uhhhh..."she fumbled. She was losing her mind, and needed to get it back on track. She had a nation to run for goodness sake! "Yea. Let's pick a date for our dinner."

He needed to finish this conversation for clarity, but he wasn't leaving for the day without touching her. "What about the schedules of the people we intend to invite?"

"It's the White House. They will adjust their calendars." Olivia told him with a little more confidence.

"Now I see why you enjoy being the President." he chuckled.

Both schedules were checked and double checked until finally a date was chosen that wasn't too far away. Now they had to make a guest list of the select few. "Who are you inviting?" Olivia asked.

"Who are _you_ inviting?" Fitz echoed. He'd base the number of people he chose based on the number she chose.

"I'm inviting my old neighbors from Ohio - Donna and Jerry McIntosh, my college roommate Denise, and my cousin and childhood confidant, Ellie."

He grinned at her. "I'm going to get stories about Liv as a kid, Liv in college, and Liv as a private citizen. I can't wait!"

She shook her head back and forth and grinned back at him. "It's part of the purpose of the dinner. I'd also like to invite Alexander Coleman. But only if you're comfortable with it."

"I'm glad you brought him up actually."

"You are?" Olivia had a feeling that Fitz and Alex would become friends if they ever met each other. Hearing him being open to it was the first step.

"MmmHmm. I'm going to invite my ex-girlfriend. Her name is..."

There he was. She sighed and impatiently said his name. "Fitz."

"No. Not even close."

"Fine. I won't invite him." She was not going to make things strained between her and Fitz. As much as she wanted the two men to meet, she wasn't about to put her most important relationship in jeopardy for it. It just wasn't worth it. Still, she wished Fitz was a little more open to the idea of meeting Alex.

Fitz snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close. His smirk evaporated when he touched his lips to hers. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "I am not remotely threatened by Alexander Coleman. If you want to invite him, I have zero problem with it."

"Really?" She asked in a hopeful tone.

"Of course, Liv. I am not the jealous type."

She pulled her head away from his and sent him a doubt filled look. "Then why did you storm over here the night I had my first, quote, unquote, date with him and act like you were?"

"We aren't talking about that right now." he reminded her in a playful tone. "I got the girl and he's in the friend zone."

Olivia chuckled at him.

"In all seriousness, I know that he was a big help and a generous man with his time when you began dating last year. I'm glad the two of you turned into friends. He was there to make things a little more bearable publicly for you when I couldn't. I'm grateful."

He was such a wonder to her. "Thank you. Now who are you inviting to our friendly little dinner?"

"Harrison and Abby aren't friends...yet. But the potential is there for that. And they work closely with me. I'm also going to invite Kurt Young. He's been a friend for years. He's also been doing my hair for years. He's a great guy."

"Cuts by Kurt?"

"Stop it! You do not know Kurt."

"Cyrus does." Olivia giggled.

"Cyrus will need to get a new hairstylist now, because I can't stand the thought of us sharing anything. Remind me to tell him. Thanks, Liv." He dragged a hand through his hair.

"You can deal with that later. Who else are you inviting?"

"I guess if you're inviting someone of the opposite sex, then I'll do the same." Someone specific came to mind. It was kind of perfect. Fitz decided to run with it. "I kind of owe this certain woman a night at the White House without death threats and gun violence. But only if you're okay with it"

Olivia giggled and quickly covered her mouth when she realized who he was talking about. "Miranda! Yes! You definitely have to invite her. She deserves a visit to the White House where she doesn't leave by ambulance. Poor girl. I can give her a tour of the White House with all the bells and whistles. It'll be fun."

"She's tougher than you might think." Fitz replied. "I hadn't really thought it through, but I think she'll get along really well with Abby and Harrison. They all have a similar twisted sense of humor."

"New friends would be a great way to make up to her the disaster that was your last date."

"She wasn't my date, Liv." He gently reminded her.

"You know what I mean."

"I do. I think it'll be fun. The relaxed atmosphere will take the edge off the stress of actually being here. And, she might get some new clients from it. It's a win win."

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" she asked.

Fitz quickly thought about the list of names he had mentioned. "I don't think so."

"We are not hosting a dinner for our friends and not inviting Huck, Fitz."

"Come on, Liv." Fitz faked outrage.

"He's coming too, and that's final. Huck is more like family anyways." Olivia knew Fitz better than anyone, and she knew he had no intentions of not inviting the tough guy to their little gathering. She hoped to get some more Quinn intel from him, and maybe arrange to finally meet this mystery woman who had won Huck's heart.

He knew she would insist that Huck come to their dinner. Fitz had every intention of inviting his right hand man. He just loved giving her hell about the scary looking man who had a very soft spot for her. "This is a great idea. The more we talk about it, the more excited I get."

"Oh? You're getting excited?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him and studying his lips. Thoughts of the strawberry came back to mind in full force. God, she wanted him.

"Don't start something you can't finish." he murmured. She was insatiable, but she'd never hear him complain about it.

"I never do." She assured him with a mischievous grin.

"I have a meeting with your Chief of Staff in ten minutes." Fitz reminded her. Not that he cared about being in the same room as Cyrus. Thoughts of having Liv overruled everything. Especially rational thinking.

"Exactly. A meeting that is in this building, and less than five minutes away. Also, a meeting that will not start without you." Olivia's hand slid down from his neck, over his shoulder, and made a beeline for the top button of his crisp white dress shirt. She freed it from the button hole in seconds and moved to the next one.

"Is the President requesting a quickie?" He asked with a grin. It was an exciting thought and he felt his lower half begin to respond positively to the idea of it.

"No." Olivia looked up at him. "She's demanding it."

"That's extremely sexy." Fitz told her as his hands began to wander down over her curves. "And you're wearing a dress. It's like you planned it ahead of time."

"Easy access." She breathed. Olivia felt his fingertips graze against her skin before he pulled her firmly against his chest and devoured her mouth. She loved having him in the residence early in the morning. Having her way with him was the best way to start her day. She reached for his belt but he batted her hands away and spun her around so she was facing the back of a sitting chair nearby.

Reaching her hands behind her, Olivia continued her work on his belt as Fitz tugged the hem of her dress up her silky smooth thighs. He roughly dragged her panties down her legs and watched her quickly step out of them.

When he was standing behind her once again, he pulled the front of his pants and underwear down and lined himself up to her opening. "I thought you were demanding before I started spending the night here on a regular basis. It's...done nothing but make you...worse."

She squeezed the cushioned chair back to get a better grip, looked over her shoulder, and asked, "is that a problem?"

Keeping eye contact with her, Fitz slammed himself inside of her with one deep thrust. A sensual groan tumbled from his throat as his hands tightly gripped her hips. "Fuuuuuuck. Definitely not."

Six minutes later, both of their clothing was being put back into place. They were grinning smugly at each other's reflections in the large bathroom mirror as finishing touches were made to make themselves presentable once again.

Olivia turned toward him and straightened his tie as his hands found their way back to her hips. He was beyond tempted to have her all over again. A smile snuck onto his handsome face as he began plotting how to make it happen. "No!" she commanded and took a step backwards.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Do not use that voice on me." She chuckled. "We have to go to work."

"We don't _have_ to. You are the President after all. You call the shots around here." He wanted nothing more than to have the President spread out on her large bed so he could take his time savoring her body.

"And I'm saying you need to go to work." She saw him open his mouth, probably to say something sarcastic. She cut him off before he sweet talked her out of her clothes and up against another surface in the room. Giggling, she evaded his grabbing hands and said, "No! Go be productive!"

He grinned down at her and pecked her lips. "I love you."

"I love you back. I'll see you tonight?"

"MmmHmm. Have a good day, Liv."

After being told to go right in by Cyrus' secretary, the fixer opened the door to Cyrus' office. The man was sitting in the chair behind his desk, and when Fitz walked in, he watched Cy glance at the watch on his wrist and then immediately shoot him a scowl. "You're late!" It wasn't long before he got to the point.

Fitz sat in the visitor's chair and listened to the aging Chief of Staff go on a tirade. He was livid about the antics, as he liked to call them, that had been showcased on every news outlet and website in the nation from the Met Gala. It had hit several websites in other nations as well. Just when the fixer thought Cy was winding down, he started right back up again. Unfortunately, he had no meetings to get to, so he sat there and listened.

"Can you understand the predicament you put me in every time you feel the need to touch the President in public, Mr. Grant?"

The fixer sighed heavily and barely refrained from rolling his eyes. "It's happened twice, Cyrus. You make it sound much worse than it actually is. Besides, the press loves us together."

"I'm well aware of the fact that they love the two of you together. Of course, they loved seeing her with Mr. Coleman too."

"Cy..." Fitz said in a warning tone.

"Hell, they loved seeing her with anyone other than that pompous, self serving, joke of a man she was married to for far too long."

"Cyrus!"

The older man ignored the fixer and gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "But he's gone now, and the two of you need to pump the brakes with all the PDA. Must the two of you always make out once you spot a camera nearby?"

"Is the temptation to screw up her legacy that strong?" His voice got louder as he continued to speak. "Is it?!"

"You need to calm down." Fitz advised. "A man your age, with a job this stressful isn't a good combination. It adds up to a heart attack if you're not careful, Cyrus."

"Don't talk to me about the dangers of my job." Cyrus yelled.

"Then don't talk to me about the dangers of my personal life." Fitz yelled back. He took a deep breath in and continued when he felt calmer. "Look, I'm not some over excited teenager fumbling around with the prom queen. I am a grown man who fixes problems for a living, and I am well aware of the person I am in love with."

"She is making history, but instead of you seeing that and giving her time to shine, you are stepping in front on it." Cyrus pointed a bony finger at the younger man. "And it needs to stop."

"I'm not ever going to get in her way, and we are not going to stop our relationship just because it bothers you!" Fitz enlightened him. He got to his feet and his voice got a little louder too. "You might want to deal with that."

"I get paid very well to deal with all manner of things."

"Good." Fitz agreed. "Keep this in mind too, so you can also deal with it when the time comes. This isn't just a fling. Or a summer romance. I am going to marry Olivia."

"What? You...you can't be serious!" Cyrus sputtered with wild eyes.

"I am extremely serious." Fitz informed him. It was high time the Chief of Staff was fully briefed on the situation. Cyrus was an asshole at times, but he was an important part of Olivia's administration. "I will be proposing to her by the end of the year. I'm very certain the press will be all over that too. I am giving you fair warning. Do not get in my way about this. I'm not dating her for my five minutes of fame or for her money. I am in love with her. If that is too much for you to deal with, I suggest you find another source of employment, because I am not going anywhere!"

"Let's get something crystal clear. I work for the President. Not you. I asked for this meeting as a courtesy. There doesn't need to be any more public displays of affection between you and the President. Surely, as a fixer in the political game, you can see that that is sound advice." Fitz stood toe to toe with the much older man and tried to rein in his temper.

"It would be sound advice if she was a much older woman. Like the Queen. But she's not, Cyrus. She's young and vibrant. And like it or not, she's in love. The country needs to see her happy and thriving. They've had enough of the sad broken hearted lonely leader of the Free World. It's time for her to move on. As the best political fixer in the game, I know what I'm talking about. I've looked at this from every side. I'm not going to harm her reputation or her place in history. I want her legacy to be as untarnished as you do, Cy."

"Don't you think you're a little too close to the situation to be objective about it?" Cyrus asked smugly.

"Absolutely. That's why I had a third party take a look at our relationship. Just to be sure I hadn't missed anything."

"You did what?" Cyrus bellowed. This man was going to be the death of him. He could feel the acid in his stomach churning and a headache was beginning to form behind his eyes. He slid a hand into the left breast pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a small bottle of antacids. Keeping his eyes on the pain in the ass in front of him, Cyrus popped the top and brought the plastic bottle to his lips. A few pastel colored tablets fell into his mouth and he chewed them angrily and put the lid back on.

Cyrus was a walking heart attack waiting to happen, by Fitz's best gestimation. He held his palms up toward him and gently said, "relax. I asked Huck."

Cyrus scoffed and began to pace behind his desk. "I don't like that guy."

"There's a surprise." Fitz replied flatly.

"Look, he knows everything."

"Everything?" Cyrus sputtered.

"Yes. Everything." Fitz echoed. "He was at the hospital the night of the birthday..."

Cyrus waved his hand dismissively. "I remember. He was giving me the evil eye for hours as he stood guard outside the President's hospital room. You're telling me that guy knows everything about your relationship with her?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. I trust Huck with my life. He'll be objective, Cy."

"He works for you. How do you know he can really be objective here?"

Fitz chuckled. "Because as loyal as he is to me, he has a soft spot for Liv. He thinks she's a badass."

"I like him a little more knowing that. He's not wrong though." Cyrus shot back quickly.

"I know that. He's supposed to give me the run down later this morning with all the pros and cons. We have a meeting scheduled to discuss polling and what America thinks of us as a couple. All that shit that would be stupid to anybody else. To me, it's important. I want to protect Liv too. It would be nice if we could work on that together."

"I'd appreciate a heads up on that list. Fixer may not be my official title, but it is in my job description when it comes to the President. If this is going to happen I'd rather be on the right side of it when it does. Let me see where I can help."

Cyrus had fought the good fight when it came to his boss' personal life. But it seemed he wasn't going to win this one. The truth was, he didn't expect to. Not this time. As much as he had tested them individually, like any father figure would, he had come to the conclusion that Olivia and Fitz were going to end up together. He liked the guy, but not more than his boss. Maybe it was time he became a supporter of this...Olitz business?

"I'll make sure you get a copy of it by the end of the day. Thank you, Cyrus. If this is a genuine offer, I appreciate it." Fitz admitted. As much as he wanted to believe that Cyrus was finally on board with his relationship with Liv, Fitz was going to continue to keep an eye on him. The two men shook hands before the fixer left and headed to his office.

Since it was the week of July Fourth, everyone on Alena's team had a four day weekend to themselves. Fitz's associates had flown back to DC to spend their free time with friends, family, or whoever they were dating. But since the holiday didn't officially start until tomorrow, they were meeting at the office to go over the progress of the campaign and get caught up on all other clients.

Fitz made a thoughtful stop on the way in, causing Huck to beat him to the office. The lights were on and furious keyboard tapping could be heard from the disorganized area that is Huck's office. Fitz knocked on the open door before poking his head inside. "Morning."

"Coming in today was bullshit." Huck informed him in a bland tone.

"Stop your bitching. I brought coffee. The good stuff too. It'll be a short day. Everyone should be out of here by ten."

"So, it could have been covered in an email?" Huck asked with a scowl as he took his coffee from the cardboard carrier.

"You know you missed me." Fitz teased with a grin. Huck took a sip and nodded.

"I missed the coffee more."

"Did you do the recon on that item I asked you about?" Fitz asked quietly.

"Don't I always do what I'm told?" Huck asked, keeping his scowl in place.

"Yes, but not without a bunch of bullshit mixed in." Fitz said. "So, what did you find out?"

"Find out about what?" Harrison asked from behind Fitz.

"Jesus!" Fitz jostled the carton holding the three remaining coffees, causing the black liquid to slosh over the side of one unsecured lid. "You scared the shit out of me, Harrison!"

"Dude, why are you so jumpy?" Harrison chuckled.

"I'm not!" Fitz declared defensively. "I'm still not used to having associates."

"Get used to it! We are here to stay, man."

Fitz handed a white paper cup to Harrison. "It's good to have happy morning people here now. It'll balance out the cranky vibe Huck gives off in the mornings."

"Fuck you." Huck replied mildly as he continued to bang on his keyboard.

"See." Fitz said, jerking his head toward Huck. "He's not exactly a ray of sunshine in the mornings."

"Hey, everybody! Good morning." Abby chirped as soon as she stepped off the elevator.

"More morning people!" Fitz beamed, and gave Abby her coffee. "I still don't know your coffee orders, so I got creative with them. I'm sorry if you don't like it."

Abby took a sip and gave a shrug. "Mine's decent."

"Whatever this is, it's my new favorite." Harrison told him. "It's really good."

"Kiss ass." Huck said, rolling his eyes.

"Seriously." Abby agreed.

"It's the shit I used to buy you when we were in college." Fitz told him with a chuckle.

"Anyways, what are we doing here?" Abby asked. "I know the holiday doesn't officially begin until tonight, but seriously? What are we doing here?"

"I pick the best people." Huck said nodding with pride.

"We need to go over our active clients and that means being updated on how everything is going in Ohio."

The four of them wandered into the conference room and sat down around the large table. "Nothing much has changed since the last update. Alena is still twenty eight points ahead of Mr. Fairburn." Harrison began.

"And we have her schedule packed with speeches and meet and greets for the rest of July to make that gap even wider." Abby added.

"The President's endorsement made all the difference." Huck said. "I'll say it again, Abby did a helluva job bringing Ms. Pope into it."

"Speaking of the President..." Fitz began.

All three of his associates gave him their full and undivided attention as they sipped their expensive coffees. "She is hosting a small informal dinner at the White House at the end of the week, and all three of you are invited."

"Shut up!" Abby exclaimed excitedly.

"Niiiiiiice!" Harrison agreed. He began mentally going through his closet to figure out what he'd wear.

"Why?" Huck asked. That probably meant he'd have to wear a frigging suit and act proper. He wasn't that guy. He'd do it for her and pretend to like it, but he wouldn't. Not really.

"She wants to get to know my..." What was the right word here?

"Friends?" Harrison asked with raised eyebrows.

"Associates." Fitz supplied firmly.

"So, you're not bringing anyone else?" Huck asked. He had already received an email from the President and knew who was on the guest list. He liked to see Fitz squirm.

Fitz looked at Huck and knew in an instant that he already knew the answer to his question. Pointing a finger at him, Fitz shot him an annoyed look as the other man grinned. "Fuck you!"

"That answers that question. So, who else are you bringing?" Abby asked with a grin. She hadn't been introduced to any of her boss' friends and was curious about the people he surrounded himself with.

"My tailor. And my hairdresser."

"Wow." Harrison said, giving a sympathetic look to his long time friend. "Really, dude?"

"What?" Fitz asked defensively.

"That is so sad." Abby replied.

"What's sad about it?" Fitz demanded.

"Don't you have any...I don't know..." The redhead gestured with her hands, trying to think of how to ask the question all three of them surely wanted to know the answer to.

"She means friends." Huck supplied with a grin.

"You! Shut the hell up!" Fitz told Huck. Looking at Abby and Harrison he asked, "I have friends. Plenty of them."

"But you're not bringing them to the White House?" Harrison asked doubtfully.

"What the hell? Is this the Spanish Inquisition? Do the two of you want to go or not?" Fitz demanded.

"Definitely!" Abby said giddily. Huck was right. It was fun to watch their boss squirm. She would be joining in on that a lot more often from now on.

"Of course we do, dude." Harrison admitted. It was obvious that his old college buddy was much too busy with work to have a lot of friends. It was kind of sad.

"Wait until the two of you meet Miranda." Huck said still grinning.

"Who is that?"

"His tailor."

"Hello?" Fitz said, trying to get back into the conversation he had started.

"His tailor is a woman?"

"I'm right here!" Fitz insisted, as they continued to overlook him.

"She's a very sexy woman." Huck informed them.

"Whoa!" Harrison interrupted and leaned closer. "A sexy tailor? This sounds like a dream I had when I was in high school. I'm in. I can't wait. Maybe you can introduce me to her or something?"

"Dude, the last guy who hit on her unnecessarily, got put in his place real quick." Huck told his co worker.

"Some random guy doesn't measure up to the charming skills and grace of Harrison Wright, my friend." He stated confidently with his mega watt smile plastered on his handsome face.

Huck looked at Fitz, who shrugged. "It was the First Gentleman."

"Shut up. Why would the husband of our drop dead gorgeous queen of a President – no offense boss - be flirting with another woman?" He glanced at Fitz, hoping he hadn't overstepped with the heartfelt and honest compliments.

Fitz said nothing. He wasn't a fan of Will Swann's when he was alive, and he damned sure didn't miss him now that he was dead, but he wasn't about to bad talk him. "I think we have much more interesting things to discuss this morning if the three of you want to be out of here by ten."

Abby and Harrison were dismissed by nine. The two associates were hesitant about leaving when they saw the senior members of the team rooted to their chairs. "Do you need us to stay? It's not a problem if you do." Abby had assured them.

"We're good. There are a few things that we need to wrap up together." Fitz answered smoothly. "Things I've had Huck working on alone. That happens from time to time."

"I don't understand. Aren't we a team?" The redhead asked. Harrison nodded and waited for the answer.

"We are. A damned good team too." Fitz began. "Huck has been with me for years, and that means he has more responsibility. I trust him more than anyone else in the world, with the exception of Olivia and that means he is privy to certain things the two of you aren't. At least not yet. That, added to the fact that I'm still getting used to the idea of having associates is why I asked him for his help."

Abby and Harrison exchanged a look.

"You asked. I'm just being one hundred percent truthful in my answer. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but that's the way it is."

"That's fine. For now. We want you to know that you can trust us." Abby told him.

"Exactly." Harrison pointed out. "You've got secrets? We can keep them. You need help with something big? We've got your back."

"I'm the oddest man out, and I'm not even a man. You and Huck have worked together forever. You and Harrison went to college together. I'm just the woman who popped up out of the blue. But I'm loyal and you can count on me to keep my mouth shut." Abby informed the three men.

"Whatever happens at the office..." Harrison began and held his palm out.

"Stays at the office." Abby finished, and slapped his palm. She looked at Fitz with a determined expression.

Fitz studied their faces intently, looking for any sign of doubt or weakness. Instead he saw strength, will power, and eagerness to help. Any lingering feelings of worry or fear immediately evaporated and was replaced with security and trust. He and Huck had chosen the team well. He glanced at Huck who shrugged in silence. "Okay then. Let's get down to it."

Abby and Harrison returned to their chairs around the conference table and the four of them got back to work.


	19. Dinner With Friends

**Dinner With Friends**

"It's gonna be great. Right?"

Fitz was in the bathroom styling his curls into submission. It was the last thing he had to do before he and Liv went to go meet their soon arriving guests. They were due to be at the White House any minute. His hands paused the familiar task and he squinted into the mirror as a nagging thought popped into his head. Did he remember to ask Charlotte to put out Liv's favorite flowers? He thought he had, but now he couldn't remember.

Olivia had been stressing and obsession over this informal friendly dinner. She had lists of all kinds all over the residence to ensure she wasn't forgetting anything. Fitz had never been so happy for a date to finally arrive on the calendar. The flowers would be a small way to remind her of how amazing he thought she was.

"Fitz? Did you hear me?"

Her voice brought him back to the moment. He quickly raked his fingers through his damp curls, getting them right where he wanted them. "What?" he called back.

Suddenly, she appeared in the doorway of the bathroom. He gave her a smile as he rinsed off his hands. "Busy?"

"Not too busy for you." He dried off his hands and put his arms around her waist.

"But you didn't answer me." Olivia threaded her fingers through the short hair at the nape of his neck.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to make myself presentable for my hot date." He wiggled his eyebrows down at her before dipping his head and pecking her lips. "You look amazing, by the way."

She chuckled at him. "This old thing?"

Olivia had warred with herself all week about what she would wear to their small gathering. She wanted to wear jeans, or something equally casual, but being the President, as well as the hostess of this little soiree had her scrapping that idea for a dress. The one she ultimately chose was a little more casual and a little shorter than the ones she normally wore. It was a fitted, sleeveless, red dress with a slight flare at the hem that hit just above her knee. She felt pretty and feminine in it, and after giving herself one last once over in the mirror, Olivia thought it was casual without being overly so. She dropped her hands from his neck to his blue gingham shirt and opened the top button. A small patch of sandy brown chest hair immediately became visible from behind the little white button.

"I see that look on your face, Madam President." Fitz said, giving her a stern look without any heart in it. He grabbed her wrists and pulled them between their bodies. When he had her full attention he released them. "We don't have time."

Olivia smiled up at him before dropping her eyebrows. "You're no fun today."

He leaned towards her until he was in her neck. Tucking her hair behind her ear he growled lightly as his lips grazed her jawline. His gravely baritone whispered something he hoped she would take as a warning and not a simple threat. "The second the last guest is out the door you should consider running because I'm going to be all...over...you."

Fitz smirked to himself when he felt her grip on his wrist tighten and her breathing get heavier. When she shivered lightly, it made him wish that they had just ten minutes to spare right now.

Her fingers found their way into the curls at his neck once again. Turning her head slightly, she ran her tongue along the shell of his ear and whispered, "You might want to consider the same thing."

She was trying to kill him. Or make them late. He clenched his jaw, took an unsteady breath, and took her hand. "If we don't get out of these very private quarters right now, I'll forget that we don't have time for this."

Olivia gave a smirk of her own, knowing she had effectively distracted him. She quickened her steps to keep up with him and decided to add a little fuel to the fire for good measure. "I'm going to have a hard time forgetting that we are entertaining our guests next door to the Red Room."

Fitz inhaled deeply and squeezed her hand. She'd pay for that later.

The first guest to arrive was Huck. He was greeted by the couple, and his eyes took them in like the seasoned well trained agent he used to be. Their flushed expressions mixed in with how tightly Olivia and Fitz were holding hands, coupled with their bodies pressing as close together as humanly possible told the ex CIA agent all he needed to know. They needed a diversion.

Pointing at his boss' crotch, Huck stated mildly, "your fly is open."

Fitz quickly released Olivia's hand and his head dropped to look at his zipper.

While Fitz checked his already closed zipper, Huck shyly went to the President and repeatedly averted his gaze from her to the floor. She looked beautiful in red and today was no exception.

"Hey, Huck." Olivia held her arms open and help him close when he timidly stepped into her embrace. "I'm glad you could join us."

"Asshole" Fitz muttered, when he realized his fly was indeed up.

"I wouldn't miss it, Madam President." He pulled out of the hug, knowing the uncomfortable feeling would quadruple if anyone saw it. Especially his co workers.

"Thank you. Call me Liv."

"I couldn't do that."

"How about Olivia then?"

"Okay." He relented. "Olivia."

She grinned at him and looped her arm through his, leading the way down the hall. Olivia knew this was her opportunity to ask about the tough guy's personal life. "How have you been?"

"Very well, thank you, Madam...Olivia." he stammered out.

She squeezed his arm and chuckled lightly. "How's Quinn?"

He glanced over at her and the two of them shared a grin. Leaning closer towards her, he shared a little more. Later he would wonder at how easily she got him to open up about himself. "She's very good. She could be the one."

Olivia stopped walking and shot him a surprised look. "Really?"

"What? What did he say?" Fitz asked from behind them. Huck shook his head back and forth almost imperceptibly, but Olivia caught it.

In a soft voice he told her, "we'll talk about that later."

"I figured you'd say something like that. Are there any new photos of the two of you at least?" she asked.

He gave her a shy smile and pulled his phone from the pocket of his khakis with his free hand. "Yea. She takes pictures all the time. I'm not really used to that, but I'm starting to, little by little."

Olivia scrolled through a couple of pictures. There was one of Huck and Quinn sitting side by side wearing t-shirts and jeans in what appeared to be his hotel room. The next picture was one of them bellied up to a bar. Both of them were wearing leather jackets and looking tough as nails. The next photo took her breath away.

"Ohhhh, Huck!" she breathed out. He was wearing a black suit, minus the tie and standing beside a very dressed up Quinn, who had her arm around his neck. Both of them had flirty smiles. "You look so handsome in a suit. And Quinn is so beautiful. The two of you make a good looking couple no matter what you are wearing."

"Let me see." Fitz said from behind them. He poked his head between their arms and examined the phone screen. "That's actually a really good picture of both of you. Quinn is gorgeous. How'd you get her anyway? I was expecting her to be missing a few teeth."

"You're an asshole." Huck replied and elbowed his ribs.

Olivia's finger automatically slid to the left and another picture took up the space of his phone screen. She leaned closer to make sure she was looking at what her eyes were trying to process. Huck was sitting on what appeared to be a hotel bed with his computer on his lap. The quiet ruffian was wearing a pink bathrobe and looking very comfortable in it.

"What the hell is _that_?" Fitz demanded before he dissolved into wild laughter.

"Oh no! I'm...I'm so sorry, Huck." Olivia said with wide eyes.

"Holy shit!" Fitz said in his fit of laughter. "That image is going to be burned on my brain forever."

The Leader of the Free World handed the phone back to Huck, who had gone silent, and rounded on her fixer. She pointed a finger at him and asked the one question she knew would shut him and his laughter up. "Would you like for me to show Huck a picture of you in a peach speedo?"

Two playful blue eyes turned serious and then doubled in size while Huck's mortified expression softened and was replaced by one of disbelief. He glanced at his boss and began to laugh. "That exists? No way!"

"Shut up, Huck!" Fitz turned to the threat and began to whine. "Liiiiiv!"

"Promise me that you'll never bring up Huck in a pink bathrobe ever again..."

"Livvie..."

"...Or I'll not only show the picture that does exist to Huck, I'll email it to everyone you've invited tonight."

"Awww, Liv. This is a perfect opportunity for me to give him hell."

Huck had always known the President was a bad ass, but watching her handle the hell out of Fitz with ease and class cemented that belief in him.

"Fine. I promise." Fitz sighed and shot a scowl at Huck. "You happy?"

Huck ignored him. "She took that picture as I was emailing him the info on..."

"Nope!" Fitz demanded and put his fingers in his ears. "Never tell me what you're wearing or not wearing when you email me work stuff. Keep that shit to yourself!"

Olivia and Huck chuckled and continued towards the State Dining Room. When the three of them passed the Red Room, Fitz lightly tugged on Olivia's hair. He got a small measure of satisfaction when her steps faltered before she quickly recovered.

"Hey!" A voice behind them called out.

The three of them turned around and saw Abby grinning as she happily made her way towards them.

"This place is huge! A girl could easily get lost in here." She was trying not to gawk at everything, but was quickly losing that battle.

"Abby! I'm glad you could make it."

"Thank you, Madam President. I couldn't pass up a chance to spend a little more time with you. Besides, it will probably be my first and last invitation to the White House." Abby told her.

"Oh, you never know when another invitation to stop by here will come around." Olivia said with a strange smile. "Once dinner is over, we'll give everyone a proper tour of the place. Come on, everyone should start trickling in."

"That sounds great." Abby exclaimed. The redhead noticed that President Pope had her arm comfortably looped through Huck's. She didn't ask any questions, but a thousand were on the tip of her tongue. Instead, as the President and Huck talked and continued forward, Abby pointed to a portrait on the wall and asked Fitz, "who is that?"

Fitz glanced up at the piece of art and stated, "Frances Cleveland."

"Why is her portrait hanging up?" Abby asked.

"I don't know, but there's one way to find out." The moment there was a lull in the conversation going on in front of them, Fitz asked, "Olivia? Abby would like to know why Frances Cleveland's portrait is hanging up out here."

Olivia turned around and smiled. "Because she was the youngest First Lady."

"Really?" Abby asked intrigued. She looked back up at the woman and studied her face. "How old was she?"

"Twenty one." Olivia explained. "Her husband, Grover Cleveland, was President from 1886 to 1889, and then again from 1893 to 1897."

"Wow." Abby breathed out. She was impressed with this young woman. "That makes me feel so unaccomplished."

"Me too." Olivia confided with a chuckle.

The four of them reached the open door of the Dining Room when another familiar voice spoke from the hall where they had just walked. "I hope I'm at the right place. My GPS took me on a weird route."

"You must be Harrison." Olivia said, moving forward with an extended arm.

"Yes, ma'am." He told her with a grin.

"We didn't really get the opportunity to formally meet at Alena's kick off. I apologize for that."

"No need. It's a pleasure to meet you, Madam President." Harrison told her as he shook her tiny hand.

"Oh, please don't call me ma'am. It's much too formal. And truth be told, it makes me feel old too." She dropped his hand and smiled at him. "Please. Go inside and have a drink. We'll get started once everyone has arrived."

As Huck, Abby, and Harrison entered the large room and began to take it in, Olivia looked to Fitz. "You chose your people well. The four of you get along great. Like family."

"Huck insists that Abby is a better find than Harrison. But I think that's just his need to be right all the damn time."

"The two of you have more in common than you realize." Olivia told him with a grin.

One by one each of the invited guests arrived. They each made small talk with Olivia and Fitz before they were ushered into the Great Dining Room. "Is everyone finally here?" Fitz asked.

Olivia glanced around at the attendees who were introducing themselves to each other and making small talk. "Yes" she told him confidently.

"Good." He took her hand and started leading her away from the door.

"Fitz?" She hissed. "Where are you taking me? We have guests!"

He opened a door and yanked her inside before pushing it shut behind them. She squeaked out the word no before be pushed her back up against the closed door and whispered, "yes."

His eager lips landed hungrily on hers and he quickly devoured them. When his tongue invaded her mouth, his hands began to roam her body. "Mmmm" he hummed appreciatively.

Her thin small fingers once again delved into his hair and Olivia pulled him impossibly close, even though her brain was screaming at her to get out of there. She lifted a leg and moaned when she felt his hand grab her bare thigh and lift it even higher.

Fitz broke the kiss but continued to suck on her bottom lip for a moment before he rested his forehead against hers. "Liv. I'm..."

"Don't you dare say you're sorry, or I'm going to be pissed off." She threatened quietly.

"I...wasn't going to." Yes, he was.

"Oh. Okay. What were you going to say then?" She asked a bit breathlessly. He opened his mouth, probably to come up with a good lie, but she wasn't interesting in entertaining it. She kissed the edge of his mouth and worked her way towards his neck.

He shouldn't have brought her in here. They had guests waiting for them, and a history in the Red Room. Reason was starting to get lost in his clouded judgement, and he knew if they didn't leave soon, their guests would hear a whole lot more than old stories about the two of them. Why did he have to be the voice of reason every damn time? "Liv? We've got to...Fuuuck...We've got to go."

She made a whining noise he expected to come from an over exhausted three year old and it made him smile. One day, when she eventually showed up, their daughter was going to be a handful. Just like her mother. He couldn't wait.

They did have to go. But they still had a minute until someone came looking for them. The first order of business was to get her mouth out of his neck. Fitz grabbed her wrists like he had done not even a half hour ago, and quickly spun her around so she was facing the door. Then he got into her neck to see how she liked it. "Liiiiv?"

His warm breath on her skin was fogging up her brain, and turning her on at the same time. She had to get the hell out of this room. "We've really got to go, Fitz."

"Funny. I tried telling you that a few minutes ago. It didn't seem to be as urgent when your mouth was in my neck." He lightly sucked on the skin just below her ear. She gave a half hearted attempt at struggling against him and Fitz knew it was just because she didn't want him to mark her neck. He chuckled at her and softly said, "don't fight it, Liv. You want it as badly as I do."

She shivered at his admission. Or was it at his tongue that was currently running up the column of her neck. She squeezed her eyes shut. They had to get out of here now! She shoved back against him, causing Fitz to stumble a step backwards. Turning around to keep an eye on him, her hands went to her hair to make sure it was presentable. He had the audacity to grin at her. God, she wanted him desperately. He must have seen it in her eyes because he took a step towards her before she pointed at him and firmly said, "no!"

Nodding, Fitz tugged on the collar of his shirt and gave her his inspection. He was thankful that she had come to her senses and put a stop to their activities. Her hair was fine. Mostly because he had refrained from touching it. Her lipstick must have been one of those stay put jobs, because it wasn't even remotely smeared. He touched her neck and felt her pull away from his fingers. It made him smile. He wasn't looking forward to her looking him over and touching him right now either. "you look perfect."

It was Olivia's turn. She walked around his body as he stood still, waiting for her assessment. Her eyes dipped to his ass when she was behind him and, feeling defiant, she grabbed a handful murmuring, "very nice" before releasing it. When she was looking at his ridiculously handsome smirking face once again, she glanced at his face and neck. Nothing was out of order. Her eyes lingered on his neck for a moment longer than they should have, and Olivia contemplated sampling it once more, but she knew they really didn't have any more time. "You're beyond tempting." She said, and grabbed the doorknob.

His hand quickly and firmly covered hers. He intentionally leaned a little closer to her ear, brushing his body against his. "You can taste all you want once these people go home."

Olivia closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pulled the door open. She had to get the hell away from him, and practically speed walked to the next room. She stopped just outside the door and mentally composed herself as she waited for him so they could walk in together as a united front. As a couple.

"Hello everyone!" Olivia called as she and Fitz entered the room holding hands. "I'm sorry we were called away for something that demanded our attention, but we're here now."

"We are! And we're very happy all of you could join us for an intimate meal with our closest friends. Have you all mingled a little bit?" Fitz asked.

The smiling group looked around the room and nodded at their hosts.

Fitz clapped his hands together once and decided to break up the awkwardness. "You all have spoken to each other, but I think it would be a good idea for Olivia and I to get to know you all. So, let's pretend we're new to fourth grade, and let's go around the room and introduce each other."

The sound coming from the dining room was a mixture of chuckles and groans.

"And tell one interesting thing about yourself too." Olivia added.

"Yes. I like that." Fitz agreed. "I think we should start with our gracious host."

She shook her head back and forth as the room chuckled collectively. "My name is Olivia and I like red wine on occasion."

There were some surprised looks as well as some sounds of agreement from the people in the room at the President's admission. She glanced at Fitz and gestured for him to go next.

"I'm Fitz, and I make a mean potato salad."

"Shut up!" Abby blurted out disbelievingly.

"It's true." Harrison agreed. "We used to beg him to make it back in college."

"You should have made some for dinner and let us be the judge of that." Someone else said.

"Maybe next time?" Fitz chuckled and gestured to the man beside him whom he didn't know.

"My name is Jerry McIntosh and I've never had a driver's license."

Sounds of disbelief came from the room.

"Dude, that's impossible!"

"How do you live your life?"

"It would make life a whole lot cheaper in some ways."

"There is so much freedom in driving. Of course, there's probably a lot of freedom in having your own chauffeur too though?"

"Wow. You all have a lot of opinions on that one. How about you go next and take their focus off me?" Jerry politely said to the person standing nearby.

"My name is Abby, and I can tie a cherry stem in my mouth."

Huck and Harrison exchanged smirks.

"You cannot!"

"I've heard of people being able to do that, but I've never actually seen it done in person."

That's a dare if I ever heard one." Someone challenged. "Do it!"

They were all chanting "do it, do it, do it" before long. Abby's face turned as red as her hair. "I don't keep cherries on me. Sorry everyone. Somebody else go please."

"My name is Kurt Thomas, and I...can't believe I am admitting this out loud and in her presence. I have a shorkie that I named after the President." He chuckled and covered his face in his hand after meeting eyes with Olivia.

The women in the room let out a joint, "awwwww" as if it had been practiced ahead of time. The men knew he had just scored some points with their leader.

Olivia walked over to Kurt and asked, "that could be one of the sweetest things I have ever heard. What is your shorkie's name and do you have a picture of her?"

Nodding, Kurt fished his phone from his back pocket and unlocked it. He had dozens of photos of his baby, but right now he had to act cool in front of the President. "I have taken too many pictures of her over the past month, Madam President. Her name is Pope and she has...if not big shoes to fill, fancy ones."

"Oh my goodness. She is so cute. I am honored to know I have a canine with my name out there. Thank you for sharing her with us."

Kurt touched the person beside him and said, "please have mercy on me and introduce yourself" before answering the President's questions in a whispered conversation.

The woman beside him nodded. "My name is Denise Miller, and I was on a game show."

"That's awesome."

"Which one?"

"Did you win?"

Denise giggled. "It was The Price is Right, and I never made it past the bidding part at the beginning. But it was a lot of fun."

"What a great thing to be a part of."

He was standing closest to Denise and knew he would be going next. He wasn't looking forward to it, but did it anyway. "My name is Huck, and I am pretty good with computers."

"Huck is being shy. He is a genius with computers." Harrison supplied.

"Thanks, man." Huck told him.

Fitz wanted to say something about the pink bathrobe, but he knew Liv didn't make empty threats. He didn't want everyone in this room to see him in that stupid scrap of material she had coaxed him into several years ago. So, he kept his lips clamped together. Dammit.

"Hello everyone. My name is Ellie and I have six toes."

"Wow. You are the one I have been looking forward to meeting most." Fitz told her.

"Me? Why?" she asked.

Fitz put his arm around Olivia's waist and explained. "Because you have stories of Olivia when she was a girl. I am very interested in knowing what kinds of things she got into, how she acted, all of it."

"Don't tell him any of the really good stuff." Olivia told her cousin. Her nose crinkled and she added, "wait! You don't have six toes, now that I think about it. What on Earth made you say that you did?"

The woman shrugged with a grin. "I just didn't have anything interesting to share with everyone."

"That is not true. You have the most interesting stuff to share, and it's exactly what I fear the most." Olivia told her cousin.

"You can sit by me at dinner." Fitz told Ellie.

"I think that means I'm up next. My name is Alex and I can't believe you took my interesting fact, Ellie."

"You do not!" She declared and left her mouth hanging open.

"Oh, but I do. I have six toes on one foot."

"No way! Let's see it." Harrison demanded.

"Really?" Alex asked.

"Definitely." Huck said, encouraging him.

Alex plopped down in one of the chairs and proceeded to take his right shoe off. And then his sock. He wiggled all six appendages.

"The man was telling the truth. How refreshing." Miranda said with a smile.

Alex put his sock and shoe back on and got to his feet. "And you are?"

He was very handsome with a great smile. And on a fantastic pair of pants. She might have to sit beside him at dinner and flirt with him a little more. She tucked a long strand of her wavy brown hair behind her ear and extended her hand in his direction as if they were the only two people in the room. "Miranda Lawler."

She had a great name. Wasn't shy, and was a great dresser. He wondered what it was she did for a living, but decided to save that question for dinner. He was going to try to sit beside her and learn as much about her as he possibly could. "And what is something unique about you, Miranda?" He hoped she had an interesting answer.

Releasing his hand, Miranda gave him a smile. She wondered if her answer would scare him away. "I own my own business."

"Really?" Harrison said, trying to get into the conversation. It was useless though. The two of them only had eyes for each other. It was clear to everyone else in the room.

"That is very interesting, and I would like to hear more about that over dinner." Alex told her. "But right now, we are being a teeny bit rude. My apologies everyone. Where were we?"

"My name is Harrison and I can speak four languages. Five, if you include the language of love."

Huck crinkled up his face and shook his head back and forth. "We don't."

Harrison went to Huck and punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Man, shut up. You're making me look bad in front of Miranda."

"Dude, she doesn't even know you're alive. She is halfway in love with Alex." Huck chuckled and started to walk away. "That language of love thing was dumb as hell by the way."

"Well, that just leaves me. My name is Donna. I'm the chauffeur to the unlicensed man who spoke a few minutes ago."

Everyone chuckled and glanced at Jerry.

"That's not my interesting thing though. It'd be kind of pathetic if it was." She laughed at her own joke, which made everyone else like her a little more. "I saved Adele's life once."

"What?"

"The singer?"

"Nah uh!"

"She did. I was there." Jerry said, chiming in. "I was in the passenger seat."

That earned him a chuckle.

"She was on tour and was playing at the Ohio Stadium that night, but it was early and she was out sightseeing."

"Adele just walks around and no one notices? Come on." Abby said in a doubt filled voice.

"She had on a disguise. A brown wig, sunglasses, and a big floppy hat. I didn't even know who she was. I was at a red light and she comes through the intersection crossing the street. But she was looking the wrong way for traffic. Because they drive on the opposite side of the road in the UK. Anyways, she was going to get hit by a truck that was barreling down the street. She was oblivious to it. I jumped out of the car, grabbed her, and pulled her to the sidewalk right before the truck goes flying by. He never even slowed down!

She got to her feet and threw her arms around my neck. She was mumbling something, but I couldn't understand her. Finally, it gets through what she's saying, and who she is. I was star struck. Couldn't talk. I'm sure I looked like an idiot. She tried to give me concert tickets, but we had to take our son back to private school and couldn't go."

The room was completely silent and then got very loud. Everyone was a little upset at the choice Donna had made that afternoon.

"I can't believe you didn't go!"

"Right? It's Adele!"

"She says her name so cute too!"

"I would have made my kid walk back to school."

Donna laughed and felt like a celebrity herself in that moment. "I just hate that I turned into a mute as she was hugging me and saying thank you. But I'm sure she's used to people reacting to her that way. Her accent is super cute!"

"Okay, now that we have mingled and know a little more about each other than we did before we arrived, let's all take a seat at the table. I don't know about all of you, but I'm hungry." Olivia admitted. She sat down next to Kurt and struck up a conversation with him about puppies.

Fitz sat down next to Ellie. He was getting some Olivia stories before this evening ended, and he was most interested in what his little woman was like as a kid. Huck and Harrison stayed side by side and tried not to talk shop. Harrison was hoping to sit beside Miranda, but it was exactly like Huck had said. Alex had her full attention. And she had his. Donna and Jerry sat near Abby and Denise, and the four of them had a great conversation about a great many things.

"She did not do that!" Fitz declared on a laugh before leaning a little closer to get the details.

Harrison and Olivia spoke about where they had grown up. He shared what life was like with six siblings and Olivia listened with envy, and then told about life as an only child. Huck ate quietly and learned even more about both of them.

Abby and Denise wanted to hear more about a life without the responsibility of driving. They thought they would be enlightened, but soon discovered that Jerry had failed his driving test four times before he gave up altogether.

Alex and Miranda wore shy enchanted smiles as they picked at the food on their plates. Their flirty conversation took precedence at the moment, and taught them so much more about each other. The spark between them was easily visible, as was the way they looked at each other.

There was a lot of chatter all around the table, and at one point Olivia smiled looked around at all of them. That was when her eyes landed on the flowers sitting in the center of the table. A rather large arrangement of red carnations. Her eyes searched for the only man who could possibly be responsible for them. His head was thrown back and he was laughing at something Ellie was saying. Probably something embarrassing she had said or done when they were little.

The sound of his laugh was a melody all its own. For a moment his sparkling blue eyes locked with her brown ones. She mouthed the words 'thank you' to him, but the look on his face made it clear that he had no idea what she was referring to. Olivia nodded her head at the flowers on the table and smiled at him. Fitz winked at her and went back to his conversation.

Dinner consisted of ribeye steaks, baked potatoes, garden salads, fresh from the oven homemade rolls, and dessert was peach cobbler. Everything was delicious and Olivia brought the chef into the Dining Room to receive all the praise first hand from everyone. More than one attendee tried to poach him to come work for them, but he held a hand up in protest and gave the President a smile before telling them he couldn't ask for a better person to cook for.

No one protested when Olivia suggested a tour of the White House after dinner. They were full and feeling sleepy. But very curious about where their friends spent the majority of their time. The very knowledgeable tour guide Olivia had arranged ahead of time to provide the tour began with the room next door. It just worked out that way. Fitz's smirking face didn't go unnoticed, but Olivia acted as if it had.

Fitz politely pulled Alex aside while the small gathering moved along on the tour. "Alex, I just wanted to personally take a moment to say thank you for coming."

The two men shook hands. "Of course. I was happy to be invited. I hoped there wouldn't be any awkwardness between the two of us."

"Not at all." Fitz assured him. "I'm glad you and Olivia hit it off so well during your time together."

"You are?" Alex asked.

"Absolutely. You were a good friend to her when she desperately needed one, you helped keep her mind occupied when it was weighed down by loss, and you made her laugh. You did all of those things while being watched like a hawk by the press, and you did it pretty damned flawlessly. It was one thing to be there for Olivia. It was quite another to do so publicly. I owe you my deepest thanks for both. You are a true gentleman, Mr. Coleman."

Alex sent Fitz a doubt filled look followed by a chuckle. "Call me Alex. And I don't know about all of that. She is very easy to talk to. We had enough similarities to keep the conversation easy, and enough differences to keep it challenging. I know it was my...task, for lack of a better word, to spend some time with her. I didn't realize it would be so easy and enjoying. Olivia Pope is a one in a million."

He caught Fitz looking away and followed his eye line. He was looking at Olivia and smiling at her. This fixer was very obviously in love with her. He nodded. "But something tells me you already know that, Mr. Grant."

Fitz returned his gaze to the man standing in front of him and studied him for a moment. "Call me Fitz. And I do. Liv thinks we would be good friends if we got to know each other a little more. What are your thoughts on that?"

"I consider the President a friend of mine. Getting to know the man she is so enamored with would be a privilege. You're not a Buckeye fan, are you? I'm not sure I can deal with another one of those so soon."

Fitz chuckled and clapped the man on the back as the two of them headed in the direction of the tour in progress. "We really need to broaden the President's mind when it comes to sports, Alex."

"I'm in complete agreement on that. Who is your team, Fitz?"

"I'm a Bulldog fan. Basketball in particular."

Alex felt immeasurably more relaxed. "I do love a good basketball game. We should catch one this season. What do you say?"

"I say absolutely." Fitz agreed. This was going better than he imagined. Liv was right. Alex was a good guy, and one Fitz could see himself hanging out with. Bonding over basketball was a great beginning.

The young woman, named Candace showed them each room on the first floor – the floor they were already on – and pointed out a few details in each room that made it special. Touches that previous Presidents had added. Things First Ladies had changed or redone. She made the tour fun and interesting for everyone.

"Now that we've seen everything on this floor, what do you say to heading up to the second floor and looking around for a while?" Candace asked. "That floor is considered the White House museum. It's where Lincoln's bedroom is, as well as the Queens'. You'll notice the portrait hanging on this wall..."

Tom and Jeffery quickly made their way to where the President was standing in the middle of a small crowd. They looked at each other. Shit. It was the night of her dinner. Olivia saw them, excused herself from the group, and went to her Secret Service agents. "What is it?"

"You need to come with us, ma'am." Jeffrey stated.

"But I have guests." she protested.

"This can't wait ma'am." Tom told her.

"What is it, Tom?"

"Ma'am, there's a serious matter that requires your immediate attention in the Situation Room. I'll have an aide explain your absence." Tom began to lead the President in the direction he had just come from.

Olivia stopped abruptly. "No. I need to speak with Fitz for a moment."

"Ma'am." Jeffrey said with urgency.

"I just need a minute."

Fitz had kept his eye on Olivia and had almost reached her. "Liv? What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"There's a situation that demands my immediate attention. Can you please tell everyone I'm sorry and tell each of them goodbye for me?"

"Of course. Don't give it a second thought."

"I hate that I have to go, but it can't be helped."

"I'll go home tonight and you can catch me up tomorrow."

"No." She pulled him into her arms for a hug, needing to be close to him. His strength and calmness settled her like nothing else could and she held on tight. She looked up at him and repeated herself. "No. Please stay. I sleep better when you're here."

"Alright. If that's what you want." Fitz said softly before he lightly grasped her chin and dipped his head to brush his lips across hers. He pulled his head back slightly and stared into her eyes. He saw less panic and more determination. It helped settle him. Before they parted ways, Fitz added, "go get 'em, Madam President."


	20. Taking Control

**Taking Control**

Olivia was kept busy with countless meetings and briefings on the situation happening in Bandar. She had been inside the same rooms for updates so often that she had the seating arrangements memorized and knew who to look to for which specific answers. There was comfort in knowing she was building a good rapport with her military leaders, and that they saw her strength and determination to help keep the country safe; but at the same time, she was saddened that all the familiarity was required at all. It was the first major crisis of her presidency and she wanted to have every scrap of updated information at her disposal before she made any decisions.

There had been whispers of war throughout the White House, but Olivia didn't think about that yet. She couldn't afford to. There was far too much that required her attention with the here and now of the situation for her to entertain thoughts about scenarios that weren't a reality yet. The fear of the possibility of taking her country to war was enough to keep her on top of everything to ensure it never did.

Fitz knew this was not his area to interfere, so he stepped back and let the President lead. She was more than capable of making the difficult decisions that would make lasting ripples in the country no matter what she did. Being female, her choices would be scrutinized that much closer. He was there to listen at the end of the day, but never offered advice. He knew she didn't need another person in her ear telling her what they thought she should do.

Olivia being kept apprised of what was happening meant that she was stretching herself thin. She wasn't taking care of herself. Skipping meals for meetings. Being woken up at all hours of the night for the latest information. And feeling the burden of responsibility for a nation of people she actually cared about. He knew none of those things were good for her health in the long run, and it was imperative that he say something before she ran herself into the ground.

He heard her drag herself out of bed in the residence when the phone rang sometime around two a.m. and she had a short conversation with someone of importance. She sat on the edge of the bed for a long moment with her head in her hands just breathing. Finally, she exhaled very loudly before she quietly got to her feet. Her movements were lethargic, and Fitz knew she was exhausted. "Liv? What is it?"

She turned around and looked at his dark form on the bed beside her. His presence made the current situation more bearable for her, and Olivia was thankful he was here. Still, one of them should be sleeping peacefully at this ridiculous hour. In a whispered voice she said, "I'm sorry I woke you."

"It's fine. What's going on?"

"I have to go."

"Come back to bed." Fitz tried. She could miss one meeting. He wanted her to get a little more sleep right now. She desperately needed it.

She went to his side of the bed and sat down on the edge of it. She was beyond tired, and didn't know how much longer she could keep up with this fast pace. "I can't. There's a meeting in forty five minutes down in the Situation Room."

"Sit this one out. You're tired and you need some more sleep." He pleaded.

He was sweet to worry about her. She leaned in his direction and kissed his cheek. She almost caved in when she felt his strong arms come around her, holding her tight. His skin was warm and inviting, and the internal struggle to stay in his arms and rest or go to work was a difficult one. But she couldn't stay. Wouldn't. "There's new intel. The meeting won't last long, I'm sure."

"Liv, you're not taking care of yourself. You know that I have to get demanding and mean when that happens." He rubbed her shoulders and heard her groan lightly. She was a bundle of knots. He briefly wondered if the White House had a masseuse. The challenge would be getting Olivia to be still long enough to get the kinks worked out of her body.

"I think I can handle it." She said, trying to keep things light. The last thing she wanted right now was to be fighting with Fitz. She knew he was right, but easing up was not an option at the moment.

"But Liv..." She was such a stubborn woman. If he didn't respect that so much about her it would piss him off.

She got to her feet before he began making sense to her foggy mind. "Fitz. I have to do this. It's quite literally my job."

"Your job isn't to make yourself ill."

She would much rather stay in bed with Fitz and sleep the entire day away, avoiding meetings and people in general. But she couldn't do that. "I'm just going to jump in the shower to clear the cobwebs away. Go back to sleep."

He sighed loudly. Damn it. If she was up, he was up. And he'd have a surprise for the stubborn Leader of the Free World when she got out of the shower too. He grabbed the phone she had just used and made a quick call. Once that was done, he briefly thought about joining her in the shower, but then thought better of it.

Instead, he pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms that were draped across a nearby chair. Fitz slept in the nude. Always had. But when he began sleeping at the White House, he thought it might be a good idea to leave a pair of pajamas in the bedroom in case someone burst in with some type of an emergency. He pulled an old gray t-shirt over his head and headed toward the kitchen. She might not have given in about staying in the residence, but she wasn't going to have a choice about what he had in store for her.

Olivia stepped out of the shower and felt like crap. Great. This day was going to be a long one. She was sure of it. She wished she had the time to wallow in the feeling of dread that was beginning to seep into her veins. Looking into the mirror, Olivia saw the dark circles under her eyes getting darker by the day.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten more than a few bites of something here and there. Fitz was right. She needed to make some changes.

Maybe she would today. Maybe she would have time to.

It was a pretty lie, but a lie just the same. Olivia quickly ushered the thought out of her mind before it could even take root there. She had another day packed with meetings and events that couldn't be put off for any reason. She'd sleep when the crisis passed.

She quietly stepped into the bedroom fully prepared to be filled with envy that Fitz was asleep, but he wasn't there. Deciding that he must have gotten on with his day too, she flipped on the light and got dressed. After her make up was applied, she headed for the kitchen door to go to her meeting.

"Morning." Fitz chirped as he read the newspaper.

She practically jumped out of her skin, letting out a shriek. "Jesus. You scared me half to death, Fitz. I thought you were already gone."

"Nope. Still here." He answered, not looking up at her. "Sit down, Liv."

"I..." She began.

"Don't say you can't, because it's simply not true. We both know that you can. You are the President and the meeting won't start without you." He patiently folded the paper and set it on a corner of the table.

"And, unless you want this to get ugly rather quickly, you will sit down." He tilted his head slightly in her direction and waited for her to decide what her next move would be. Olivia would be wise to sit her little ass down in a chair at the table. She had always been petite, but he was beginning to get concerned. She was starting to look frail, and he wasn't going to have it. He'd drive over to the White House at every meal and pull her kicking and screaming out of meetings and make her eat real food if he had to.

"Fine. You have ten minutes." She informed him before pulling a chair out and sitting in it. Did she smell coffee? Damn him for making some.

The door opened and a young man carrying two covered plates walked in. He set one of them in front of Olivia and the other one in front of Fitz without saying a word. Two mugs were set on the table and coffee was poured into each. The sugar and creamer were already on the table, along with the silverware. The young man bowed his head slightly and said, "enjoy your breakfast, Madam President."

Olivia smiled. Whatever was under the silver dome smelled like heaven. She was appreciative. Of Fitz for making her stop to eat, of the chef for whipping something up for her so quickly, and of the young man who seemed content to simply deliver the meal. "Thank you, Joseph."

She saw Fitz lift the lid on top of his plate and her eyes almost crossed. A stack of steaming hot pancakes along with a few pieces of crisp looking bacon sat side by side. She wasted no time lifting the lid on her own plate. They had the same thing. The President was a deliriously happy girl right now.

The two of them ate in silence for a few minutes, enjoying their breakfast together. It was such a small simple thing, completely domesticated too, to share a meal with the person you loved. It was even simpler to know that he had taken care of everything for her. All she had to do was stop long enough to enjoy it.

She was already feeling far better than she had when she woke up. Looking over at him, Olivia told Fitz, "thank you. For breakfast, and making me slow down some. It means a lot to know that while I'm busy taking care of millions of Americans, you are taking care of me."

"I'm completely content to be the man behind the woman." He paused for a moment and added, "I didn't mean for that to sound dirty."

"I know what you meant. I just wanted you to know that I'm thankful for you. I needed this." She took a sip of her coffee and held her mug in her hands. "You've known me long enough to know that I am stubborn."

He opened his mouth to agree wholeheartedly.

"You don't need to say anything. We both know it's true."

"Less praise. More eating." He said, pointing to her plate. "I've decided to come back later to have lunch with you too."

"Fitz." She chuckled. "That's not..."

He tilted his head to the side again and shot her a look. "Don't make me bring Huck."

"Lunch would be lovely." Olivia was not about to get Huck on her bad side.

By eleven thirty Olivia felt like she had run a mental marathon. The situation happening in Bandar was top priority, but she still had countless other things to deal with. She was headed for the door to go out of the Oval Office to take care of one of those daily things when Cyrus walked in.

"Did I catch you busy, Madam President? Come sit down."

"Unfortunately, I was headed out the door, Cyrus. What can I do for you?" she asked.

"Sit down for a minute please ma'am." He said, repeating himself.

Olivia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Her head was splitting. "I don't have time for this Cyrus. I have to give some remarks to..."

He cut her off. "To the people who volunteered during the hurricane that struck the southern states. I know. Sit down please, ma'am."

"Cyrus, I don't have time for this. If I don't leave right now, I'll be late."

"You're not going." He informed her from his seat beside the resolute desk. He patiently drummed his fingers across the top of it as he waited for her to join him. This was kinda fun.

"Why wouldn't I go to that? It was on my calendar this morning. It's been on my calendar for over a week now." She was growing impatient with her Chief of Staff and his demanding ways. It was yet another thing she didn't have time for. He turned around to look at her.

"I asked the Vice President to speak on your behalf. Sit down. Please don't make me say it again, ma'am."

She didn't feel like going, if she was honest. Her head was killing her, she could barely keep her eyes open, and she still had a full day to work to accomplish. She strode angrily to her desk, mostly just for show, took her seat behind her desk, and talked to her Chief of Staff. But first, she had to find something for her headache. The Tylenol was found in the second drawer she looked in. "Why would you give that to Bill?"

"Look, I know you have big ugly manly shoes to fill. I get it. And I am not the type to hand out compliments. Can we agree on that?" There were no lies in any of that.

"Yes, I believe that we can." She poured herself a glass of water and took two of the white oval pills for pain.

"You are doing a fantastic job ma'am. I'm not saying that because you're my boss, or because you're a woman. I'm saying that because it's the truth. I'm also saying it because you need to take a break before Bill is doing a whole hell of a lot more than talking to volunteers about a hurricane." The older man gave her a look of warning. "It's hard to run a country from a hospital bed, Madam President."

She must look worse than she thought. Cyrus was right. The thought of an hour long cat nap sounded like sheer bliss right now. "Maybe I could carve out an hour or two from my schedule and lie down? The thought of sleeping in the middle of the day sounds sooo good right now."

Cyrus glanced at his watch and slapped a hand on top of her desk. "That's one of your better ideas today, ma'am."

The door to the Oval opened and Olivia wearily looked to see who it was and what they wanted now. She had just talked herself into the thought of closing her eyes for a few minutes. The President perked up some when she saw who it was. "Fitz! What are you doing here?"

He was carrying a familiar looking, large, brown, paper bag. Ignoring her question, he asked one of his own. "Did she give you any trouble?"

"I'm sorry. What?" Olivia asked in a voice laced with genuine confusion. Was he talking to Cyrus right now?

"Not one bit, Mr. Grant." The Chief of Staff reported cheerily before getting to his feet.

"Great." Fitz held out a hand in Liv's direction.

"Excuse me!" Olivia blurted out. What the hell was going on here? Since when did the two of them get along?

"Thank you for keeping her occupied since I was running a bit late. The line at the restaurant was out of this world today."

Cyrus chuckled. "No problem. It was...well, it was weird - truth be told - to sit down for five minutes and do absolutely nothing."

"I know how hard that was for you. Thank you, Cy. Where'd you get with her?"

Olivia crossed her arms in front of her chest and scowled. Her head moved back and forth between them as she kept up with their conversation. She had been set up and she didn't like it one bit. "What are you talking about? And when did the two of you kiss and make up?" "

She was just about to go up to the residence and lay down for..." Cyrus turned his head and squinted at Liv as if he was having a hard time recalling what she had said just five minutes ago. "What was it you said, Madam President?"

"Cyrus!" Olivia warned. She wondered if this could possibly be grounds to demote him?

Cy pretended to think it over as a happy smile covered his aging face. He knew perfectly well what she had said. His mind was sharper than a surgeon's scalpel. "Oh yea. Now I remember. She said an hour or two."

"Perfect. It's good to finally have you on the team, Cy!" And it was. In Fitz's mind, it was a win win to have someone on the inside who could keep up with Liv and make sure she was taking care of herself. Cyrus wouldn't pull any punches with her either. He'd tell it like it is, even if she didn't want to hear it. Using her words against her was a nice little bonus. Eventually Olivia would see that the two men had her best interests in mind.

"You've got it from here, I assume?" Cyrus asked in all seriousness.

"You bet I do." He leaned close to her angry face and kissed her cheek before showing her the brown bag. "Hi. I brought you Mama's for lunch."

"Fitzgerald Grant!" Olivia was fuming. She had just been played by her own Chief of Staff. She should have known better than for him to actually be nice to her. Shifting things in her schedule to lighten the load. What a crock of shit!

Cy was liking this new phase of life. Acting like he gave a damn about his boss' schedule was a bit of a stretch, but he did care about her as a person. Anyone with eyes could see that she needed to get away for just a little break. If that meant ganging up on her with her fixer boyfriend, then so be it. "If she gives you any trouble. Any at all..."

"She won't." The tone of Fitz's voice left no room for argument. "She'll eat lunch and sleep for at least an hour. Won't you, Livvie?"

"I am not speaking to either one of you for the rest of the day." Men were assholes. Especially ones who ganged up on her. Even if it was for her best interest.

"Super!" Cyrus' overly excited voice sang. He walked out the door a little quicker to be safe, and to put some much needed space between him and his boss. She was about to fall over from exhaustion. A healthy lunch and a nap would do wonders to make her feel more human. And that made teaming up with Fitz worth it.

Fitz and Olivia walked up to the residence in silence. He'd had a quiet morning and hadn't really done much, but a nap would go a long way to make up for the early morning hour he had been woken up at. But the belly needed to be dealt with first.

All of the food was taken out of the bag and the lids removed. Fitz retrieved two of everything they would need to eat their lunch and decided that buffet style was the best way to eat this particular meal. Chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans, along with fluffy rolls made up their lunch.

Olivia dug in, much like she had with her breakfast that morning. She was surprised to discover how hungry she really was. By the time she cleaned her plate, her headache was starting to dissipate. So, maybe there was something to sitting down and eating a healthy meal like a regular person. And that was when the urge to close her eyes became overwhelming. She couldn't stop yawning.

"Okay, that's my cue." Fitz picked up all the dirty dishes and set them in the sink. He then removed all of the empty containers and the brown bag everything had traveled to the White House in. He was yawning himself as he held out his hand for Liv to take. The two of them stumbled into the bedroom, leaving a trail of toed off shoes as they went.

They climbed up to the pillows from the foot of the bed, and he pulled back the pretty floral comforter so she could get in. He laid on his back and extended his arm to her side of the bed. She immediately curled into his side, and mumbled, "thank you" before she passed out. He brought her thin little body closer to his and pressed a kiss to her temple before he followed her into sleep.

Waking up on your own was so much better than being commanded to get up by a device making annoying sounds at you. Olivia slowly blinked her eyes open and just listened to the silence. The phone wasn't ringing. No one was barging in to make demands of her time and attention. The voices of people who had been around much longer than she had weren't echoing in her brain. The feeling of being completely overwhelmed wasn't weighing heavily on her mind.

Olivia took a moment to take inventory of how she felt.

Her headache was gone, her belly was satisfied, her eyesight was no longer bleary around the edges, and for the first time in days, she didn't feel depleted of energy. It was a good place to be for a change. Fitz sighed in his sleep and Olivia shifted her gaze from the ceiling to look over at him. The view was lacking, so she propped herself up on her elbow to get a better look at sleeping beauty, as Huck had called him when she was in the hospital.

A smile crossed her face before she even thought about it. The stern faced determined man who had left little room for her to argue about eating lunch and taking a nap was resting peacefully beside her. The worry lines on his face that came from his concern about her were now as smooth as stone. It appeared that Fitz needed some sleep almost as much as she had. The realization made her smile grow.

He was so good to her. And good for her. No one else in her life had even attempted to get her to slow down some. Olivia couldn't blame them. She couldn't fathom going to a former President and asking him to take it easy. It just wasn't done.

Not until now. Not until Fitz.

He wasn't scared to piss her off. Or to tell her like it was. He would never be disrespectful to her or tell her how to do her job as President, but he would take a stand when she wasn't taking care of herself. And apparently, he would go so far as to call a truce with her Chief of Staff to accomplish it. Olivia respected him for not being skittish when it came her health and well being.

The truth was, she needed someone to push back and make her slow down every once in a while. She could get too focused on trying to do her job and proving her worth to the American people, as well as all of the men she worked alongside to take care of herself. Fitz was comfortable enough with her power to let her lead however she thought best without questioning it while making sure she wasn't neglecting herself while doing so.

Lifting a finger to his ridiculously handsome face, Olivia gently and lazily traced his lips. They were soft and inviting, and before she gave it a second thought, she immediately leaned closer to sample his lips with her own. The familiarity of the simple gesture would bring contentment for most. For Olivia, it stirred something inside her that had been ignored for the past week or so.

Two blue eyes opened suddenly, and the two strong arms that belonged to them came swiftly around her. Concern was his gut reaction. "Liv? Are you okay?"

This was not the time for a conversation. She quietly murmured, "mmmhmm" as she put her hand on the far side of his head and shifted her body over to cover his. Once she was settled, she dipped her head to capture his lips once again; happy to have him actively taking part.

He broke the kiss abruptly, bringing a disgruntled sound from her throat. "Hey, we don't need to do this right now."

Olivia jerked her head back as if she'd been slapped. "Are you turning me down for sex? Isn't that grounds to get your man card revoked?"

Fitz rolled his eyes. "You just got the best sleep you've had in over a week. Why don't you reserve that energy for the things you need to do today?"

Her eyebrows went up as she looked down at him. "Fitz? You're my fixer, right?"

"Yes."

"I need sex right now. Do you think you can fix..." Her breath whooshed out as he gripped her hips and moved quickly. All she could do was hold on to his shoulders tightly as she was flung from her perch on his lap. She found herself flat on her back underneath him and loosened her grip on him. "Hi."

Fitz ran the tip of his nose along the side of hers before pulling his head back and giving her a smile. "Hi. I take it you slept well?"

"I did!" Olivia told him with a grin. "I feel like a brand new person, and it's all thanks to you."

"And you think you have to repay me somehow?" He knew that's not how she felt, but it bought him some time as he began opening buttons on her shirt.

"Not at all. It's been a while since I've had the energy for sex. I want to take advantage of the momentum while I have it."

He had her shirt open and was slowly kissing a trail from her neck down to the valley between her breasts. He had missed her just as much as she had missed him. He replied to her between kisses. "How about we compromise? You lay there as I take advantage of you?"

"Fitz? I don't want you to think..."

He lifted his head and gave her a predatory look before giving a one word warning. "Quiet."

It took everything she had not to grin up at him. Her sexy fixer was in a mood to be in control. She knew he was only doing it for Olivia to keep the well rested feeling that had evaded her over the past week, but she didn't care. Fitz in complete control was one of the sexiest things in the world. She would happily lay there and do as he demanded. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the delirious feeling contained.

He slithered his body backwards over hers until he was kneeling near her ankles. As anxious as he was to free her of her clothing, he knew two things to be fact. One, they didn't have a lot of uninterrupted time left together before someone called or stormed in demanding Olivia's attention to the current situation in Bandar. And two, Olivia thrived on his dominating side. Pushing the former out of his mind, he focused on the latter. He got up and locked the bedroom door to ensure no one came in until they were ready.

Flicking his eyes to her playful brown ones as he stalked back to his spot on the bed, Fitz quite plainly made his first demand. "Take off your clothes."

He might be in control, but Olivia was going to toy with him as long as she could get away with it. Taking her time, she slid her hands down to the waistband of her black dress pants and freed the silver clasp from the fastener. She watched his intense blue eyes drop to her center with laser like focus. It brought a small smile to her face. Grasping the zipper, she pulled it down very slowly.

His blue eyes went back to her face. He would have that face contorted with pleasure soon enough. He had to get her to stop screwing with him first. Batting her hands away, he grabbed the material and jerked it down her legs. Once they were off, he threw them over his shoulder to the floor behind him. "Panties next. Let's go, Madam President."

Olivia slowly and sensually slid her hands down the front of her body, parting them when she reached her hips. She watched him watching her as she hooked her thumbs into the waistband of the lacy material and slid it down at the same leisurely pace. She gave him credit. He didn't say anything about how slow she was moving. She knew it was killing him though.

"Sit up while I remove your top half."

"You don't want me to do it?" Olivia asked, pretending to be confused.

"We don't have all day, now do we?" Her shirt was hanging off her shoulders so getting rid of it was a simple task. The bra followed quickly afterward. He took a moment to let his eyes linger on her skin but he didn't touch her. Not yet.

He got to his feet and gave her something to look at by taking off his own clothing. Once the small buttons on his shirt were opened, Fitz pulled his shirt open across his chest and peeled it down over his shoulders. It fell on the floor behind him without another thought. Olivia was looking at him like he was a snack she was dying to consume. His pants followed quickly behind. He tried taking his time, but thoughts of having her underneath him, whimpering his name made that a non- starter. His initial thought was to have Olivia remove his underwear, but he thought better of it. She tried to take creative control sometimes and this joining would end up much quicker if she "accidentally" brushed up against him in the process.

When he was naked too, he crawled up the bed from the bottom and didn't stop until his lips landed on hers. He kissed her roughly as he pushed her back down onto the mattress. His tongue delved into her mouth and he groaned with urgency. As he ended the kiss, Fitz pulled her bottom lip between his teeth and nipped lightly. His body was screaming for the inevitable joining.

Grabbing her wrists with one hand, Fitz pinned them to the bed over her head as his kisses became hungrier and more possessive. His other hand moved swiftly down between her legs and began to play in her wet heat. It wasn't long before she was writhing under him, begging for release. He broke the kiss to watch her splinter into a thousand pieces as he pushed her towards a ledge. "Fiiiiiitz" she panted.

"Come for me, Liv." He encouraged.

"But I..."

"Do it!" He commanded.

Her eyes were squeezed tightly shut and her face quickly crinkled as her mouth opened and her breath was released in jagged pants. Her body tensed as the orgasm ripped through her. Nothing felt better. She held onto him tighter, needing an anchor as she rode out this particularly magnificent storm.

Fitz wasn't giving her time to come completely down from her high. He kissed her passionately as his upper hand released her wrists and his lower one pulled her bent knee up higher as he plunged into her with one thrust. Olivia grabbed his back in a death grip as they both gasped. Her at the surprise attack. He at the exquisite feeling of the snug fit. "Fuck, Liv. You feel amazing."

"You've got to move your hips, Fitz."

"Are you giving me a command?" He asked with a grin on his face.

She raised an eyebrow and sent him a superior look. "I am. Play time is over. Do it!"

Fuck, she was sexy! "I serve at the pleasure of the President."

"Then get to pleasuring me!" She demanded. She pinched his ass for good measure.

Fitz quickly sat up and brought her on top of his lap, straddling him, before repeatedly plunging deep inside of her. Her fingers on one hand tightly gripped his back while the other held onto the curls at his neck. They were skin to skin, but there was still too much space between them.

Olivia closed the non-existent gap between them by pulling his face closer and kissing him passionately. The desperation they felt for each other was crystal clear. She put a hand in the middle of his chest and pushed Fitz backwards.

He held onto her as he fell, landing on his back. He was mesmerized by the superb view of watching her riding him into oblivion. "You are...god...so sexy on top of me, Liv. I've missed you."

His words made her feel so empowered and wanted. "I've missed you too."

The pretty floral comforter was thoroughly wound up in the sheet as their bodies moved together in a well known dance. Their heavy breathing and declarations of love were the only sounds in the room. They were in a happy bubble created just for the two of them.

After a few minutes, Fitz knew he needed to take control of the situation. He was never going to get a happy ending and leave her hanging without one. Getting back into the head space of taking control, he rolled them over and got to his feet beside the bed.

Olivia looked up at him in confusion.

"Get on your hands and knees for me." He demanded. He could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile on her face "Right now!"

Olivia complied, happy to not have to face him. She was having a difficult time concealing her excitement at having bossy Fitz back. And behind her no less. He leaned over her back, planting little kisses along the way, until he was in her ear. "I know how much you love it when I tell you what to do. It's going to be fast and rough and you're going to love it. Now, open those magical thighs, Liv because I'm about to fuck. You. Up."

"God, yes!" She was expecting him to be vocal, but that was more warning than he'd ever given before. Excitement coursed through her veins. He slammed all the way into her and she screamed his name. No time was wasted before she found a pillow and held onto it. He drove into her with just as much reckless abandon as she had ridden him moments ago.

Her arms were feeling like rubber, and she laid her head on the pillow, leaving her ass up in the air. Her breathing was labored, her throat was as dry as dust, and her orgasm was close by, but she never wanted him to stop. "Fitz!" She squeaked out. "Harder!"

"Someone...really...loves this" he panted out. He gripped her hips even tighter and continued his mind blowing assault on her body.

"Don't stop!" She whimpered. Her hands were in tight little balls and her body felt like a live wire while her brain was telling her to hold onto this feeling for as long as possible. "More, more, more!"

He was about to come apart himself, but he had to drag an unwilling Olivia across the finish line first. He reached around her center and began playing her bundle of nerves like a violin. Moments later, she screamed, "Fiiiiiiiitz!" and sagged forward. He followed right behind her with a grunt before his body stilled and emptied.

It felt like it was a hundred degrees in this room and he would pay top dollar for a cold bottle of water right about now. Instead, he laid on the cool sheet and tried to control his breathing. "That was amazing, Liv."

"How does it get better every time we come together?"

"We're just that good at it." Fitz chuckled.

"You're crazy." Olivia chuckled back. "But I love you."

"I love you too. So much. How are you feeling?"

"Extraordinary! I know you were trying to help me preserve the well rested feeling after a fantastic and much needed lunch and nap - thank you for that, by the way."

He smiled at her. Only Olivia would be thanking him at a moment like this. "You're welcome. I'm sensing a but in that sentence."

Only Fitz knew her that well, and her big smile matched his. "But...I feel energized. The food and the sleep definitely helped, but the mind blowing sex was the icing on the cake."

"I thought we liked whipped cream better?" He asked with a wolfish grin. She giggled, and Fitz felt his worry for her dissipate completely. "Can I ask a favor of you?"

"Sure. What's one more person wanting something from me?" she teased.

"Smartass. When this situation in Bandar is over, I'd like to take you away somewhere. Just the two of us."

She grinned, turned on her side, and propped her head onto her palm. "Really? Just you and I? Where do you want to go?"

"I have a plan. It's a surprise though. I know we'll have to take Jeffery and Tom along with us. Maybe a few others. I'm okay with that. What do you say?"

"I say yes!" She replied giddily and leaned over his chest and kissed him.

"It's too hot to cuddle." Fitz whined.

"Are you telling the President of the United States no?"

"As the man who just screwed your brains out with great enthusiasm, yes!"

She giggled at him as the phone on the bedside table rang loudly, breaking through their happy little bubble. Olivia turned to Fitz and grinned. "It was fun while it lasted."

Leaning over his body, she reached for the phone and said, "yes?"

Fitz moved his head slightly, pulled her nipple into his mouth, and began to suck lightly as she listened to whoever had called. His hands roamed her still heated skin, and he began to feel the familiar stirring in his lower half for more of her even though he knew it was futile right now. He'd take what he could get while she was distracted.

She halfheartedly swatted at him and groaned lightly at the feel of his mouth on her skin. "I understand. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

The phone was shakily returned to the red base before she turned her attention to the crazy man in her bed. "What do you think you're doing, Mr. Grant?"

He answered with her nipple lightly clamped between his teeth. "I thought it was obvious, Ms. Pope?"

"We don't have time for another round. I've been summoned."

"You just said you'd be there in twenty minutes. I only need three of them." he stated cockily.

"Three minutes? What can you possibly accomplish in one hundred and eighty seconds?"

"Is that a challenge?" He needed clarity.

"Yes." Olivia answered defiantly. Two and a half minutes later she was breathing hard and shakily attempting to get her clothes back on. "Remind me to never question your skills again."

"Where's the fun in that?" Fitz asked with a devious grin.


	21. Get Away

**Get Away**

From her seat beside the window, she watched the Washington D. C. skyline grow smaller and smaller until it disappeared from sight completely. The further away it got, the giddier Olivia became. She loved her job and the American people she worked tirelessly for every day, but if she was honest, Olivia had been eagerly looking forward to this day to finally arrive. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she pulled away from the window and leaned her head against Fitz's shoulder. Not only was she free from work, she was with the man she loved. She intended to make every moment over the next four days count.

As she sat there watching the clouds float by in silence, she was reminded that just two weeks ago she had been sitting in meetings with her military leaders discussing strategies for taking the United States to war. The situation in Bandar that had taken every fiber of her attention and time and energy had escalated nine days ago. Olivia was on the brink of taking her country to war with a much smaller one, all because its leader was stubborn and pig headed. Threats hadn't worked, talks hadn't helped, and that only left one option. When their leader came to the shocking realization that the President of the United States wasn't going to back down from this particular fight; that she had called her military to action at her word, he quickly reconsidered his options and backed down with an apology of sorts. It wasn't perfect, but Olivia would take the offering over war every time.

It was a rousing victory for the United States as well as for the first female President. Fitz suggested that she rest for a few days, but Olivia wasn't giving any other foreign leader the idea that the situation in Bandar had wiped her out completely even though it had. Still, she kept it business as usual and kept herself busy with the running of the country she loved so fiercely.

Once everything had settled down and things were back to normal, Fitz reminded her of his idea to take her away for a little while. Olivia met with her Chief of Staff that same day to go over her schedule. She informed him that she was taking at least three days away. Five would be ideal, but she was taking no less than three. They compromised in the middle and four days were cleared for the following week.

It was good to have Cyrus on her side.

Secret Service was alerted to the impromptu mini vacation for the President, and they immediately got busy. Tom reached out to Mr. Grant to get the specifics. Dates, times, exact locations, plans, all of it. Fitz wasn't thrilled with telling them everything, but knew it was all part of being in love with the most powerful woman on Earth. Besides doing research online and making calls, four agents were sent to the location ahead of time to secure the area. The private bungalow as well as the places Mr. Grant had shared that he hoped to visit with the President were thoroughly scoured to the strict standards of the Secret Service.

In turn, they informed Mr. Grant that the President's Secret Service detail – with extra guards - would be staying in the bungalows surrounding the one the two of them would be residing in for four days. Thankfully, they kept the location to themselves to not spoil the surprise for their boss. Fitz was appreciative for that after giving up so much of his plans to the men who had sworn to protect the woman he loved.

Olivia closed her eyes, looped her arm through Fitz's, and laid her head against his shoulder; enjoying the peace and quiet.

Fitz leaned over and kissed the top of her head, lingering close to her. He was beyond thrilled at having her all to himself for the next four days.

She lifted her head and looked at him. He looked utterly at peace with his eyes closed and a small smile on his ridiculously handsome face. As much as she wanted him to relax while they were away, she was dying for some answers. She tried a light tone. "Won't you tell me where we're going now? There is literally no one I can tell from inside this airplane."

Fitz opened his eyes and looked at her. She was brimming with excitement like a little kid on Christmas day. It was supremely adorable. He liked the feeling of being able to surprise her over something as silly as a destination. It made him feel like they were any other happily in love couple. Those moments were few and far between when it came to him and Liv. The small smile on his face turned lopsided. "You're getting nothing from me until we get there, so stop asking and enjoy the ride."

He heard her give an unhappy sound, even though she didn't voice her thoughts. Peeking down at her, he saw the President of the United States pouting. Just like a kid. The visual brought a chuckle from the fixer, but he was wise enough to close his eyes before letting out the sound, so she wouldn't know he was laughing at her.

Fitz took her small hand in his much larger one and felt her thumb begin to rub little circles on his skin. He could feel the excitement coursing through her in spite of the soothing motion of her thumb. Whether it was due to getting away from Washington D.C. or heading to a little surprise getaway, it didn't matter to him. He always wanted to be able to surprise her.

"Do I have time to take a nap?" Olivia mumbled. She was already on her way into sleep, and didn't care what the answer was.

"You do. Sleep for as long as you want, Liv. We'll be on the plane for quite a while." He reclined Olivia's seat and then his own before the two of them fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

A voice broke through the silence on the plane hours later. "Good morning. This is the captain speaking. We will be landing at Motu Mute Airport in about ten minutes."

Olivia stirred before Fitz. She cracked her eyes open and blinked several times in an effort to keep them open. It was bright outside wherever they were. Where the hell was Motu Mute Airport anyways? Glancing to her left, she saw that the shade on her window had been let down. She lifted it and was greeted with the most beautiful scenery she had ever beheld.

The brilliant blue sky was dotted with lazy, white, puffy clouds in no rush to get where they were going. The water below was a mixture of beautiful colors. Some of it was royal blue while other spots looked aqua. All of it was gorgeous. The landing strip at the airport was narrow and appeared to be the only section of roadway on the island.

"We're here?" Fitz asked in a sleepy voice beside her.

"Where exactly is here?" Olivia asked, turning to look at him. A laugh immediately bubbled up from within her as she took in his appearance. Her hand automatically went to his disarrayed sleep rumpled curls in order to restore some order to them.

Fitz quickly leaned in and pecked her lips without saying a word. He found it quietly amusing that Olivia was trying to make him look presentable when she had mascara smudged along one cheek. He'd point it out before they got off the plane.

The captain's voice came through the cabin once again. "The local time is three minutes after seven, and the temperature outside is a balmy eighty one degrees. It's another beautiful day in Bora Bora."

Olivia listened intently for the location. She shrieked when she heard it and threw her arms around Fitz's neck, peppering peppered his face with kisses. "Bora Bora? Oh my gosh! This is going to be amazing, Fitz! Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's perfect!"

"Wait until you see where we're staying." Fitz told her.

The two of them took turns using the restroom on the plane before settling into their seats and buckling up for the touch down. Fitz noticed that Olivia's cheek was now mascara free, as it should be. She had tucked her hair underneath her George Washington University ball cap and slid on a pair of dark sunglasses. They exited the plane without any fanfare.

The leader of Bora Bora had been alerted ahead of time to the American President's arrival, but had been asked for discretion. Olivia wanted to be treated like a tourist, not the leader of a nation. She held Fitz's hand and walked beside him as they excitedly made their way to the warm sunny day outside. They were all smiles as they quickly ducked inside a waiting car at the curb and rode to their destination.

The cab came to a stop and Olivia saw a long wooden walkway leading out on the water. And then her eyes locked with all of the huts on stilts. She squealed loudly, – a very unPresidential sound – pulled on the cab's door handle, and practically jumped out of the car. "We're staying here? In one of these very cool and secluded houses on sticks?"

Fitz chuckled and got out of the backseat. After handing money to the driver, he went to Olivia and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, as the two of them took in the view. He pressed a kiss to her temple and said, "I thought you might approve."

"Approve? This is the best thing I have ever seen. Can we go inside now so I can look around? Please?"

"Well, that one isn't ours. We are all the way at the end." His voice got much quieter as he finished speaking. "I didn't want your loud screams waking up all of the neighbors. The view is great here, but it's much better and unobstructed at the end."

Olivia squealed again.

"I feel like I should tell you that the men in black are staying in the only hut beside us. They have been here since..."

Olivia turned around and put a hand over his mouth. "Nope. We aren't talking logistics for the next four days. We are just a couple of tourists staying in the most romantic place on Earth. I don't care who our neighbors are or what they hear every night. I love you."

"Mmmm." Fitz turned her around in his arms and rested his forehead against hers. "This is going to be an amazing four days, Liv. I have a few surprises up my sleeve for you."

She grinned up at him as the cab driver unloaded their luggage. "Oh really? What would you say if I told you that I might come up with a surprise or two of my own for you?"

Could she be any more perfect? He grinned down at her before dipping his head to peck her lips. "How? You didn't even know we were coming here?"

"I am the President. I have lots of connections and power." She explained mysteriously.

"I bet my surprises kicks your surprises' ass." Fitz teased.

"We'll see, Mr. Grant." Olivia stated confidently.

"I like this side of you. I can't wait to see whatever it is that you come up with." Fitz pecked her lips once more and took her hand. "Come on. Let's go see the shack we'll be staying in for the next couple of days."

"I don't care what it looks like. We are in paradise and I am thrilled to be here with you."

The two of them walked hand in hand down the spotless wooden pier. The water was a shade of blue that Olivia had never even seen before. It was beautiful and inviting, and she momentarily thought about jumping in. She kept walking beside Fitz in spite of her desire to jump over the rail and go for a swim. She wondered if she could talk him into a swim after they got settled?

They passed several other bungalows on their way to theirs. They were simple looking structures with thatched roofs, but Olivia could not wait to see the space that would be all theirs for the next four days. Everything was breathtaking here. Four days in paradise with Fitz were going to be amazing.

"This one is ours, Liv." he said, breaking through her happy thoughts.

They were at the end of the line of bungalows. The only thing that could be seen past it was perfectly clear blue water. It was like something out of a romance movie. The two nearest bungalows weren't right on top of theirs, but close enough that Secret Service could get to her quickly if needed. Fitz had thought of everything.

The next four days were going to be amazing. No White House, no briefings, no press corp, and no meetings. Olivia could sleep late, be make up free, lounge around in her pajamas if she wanted to, and just be with Fitz – doing whatever they wanted to for four glorious days. A smile spread on her face as the realization became cemented in her mind. She was free.

Fitz scooped her up in his arms as she giggled, and carried her into the bungalow. He kept her in his arms as he gave her a room by room tour of their private little hut on the water. The happy little noises that came out of her with every room that they entered was beyond endearing. By the end of the tour, she was hugging him tightly and the feeling of excitement could be felt vibrating off her skin. He started matching the little squeal as she let it out. They were laughing as they ended up out on the private balcony.

He lowered her to her feet and held her in his arms as they looked out at the water. After a few moments, Fitz looked down at her. "Well? What do you think? You were kind of shy about sharing your thoughts inside."

Mocking her, Fitz let out an excited squeal that ended with laughter.

Olivia pulled him close for a warm hug and just held on for a long moment. His large hands caressed her back lovingly. "This place is perfect. The private bungalow, the water, the fact that we are going to be here for four mind blowing days. All of it. Thank you for this little getaway. I know you had to deal with Secret Service, Cyrus, and your people, but it means so much to me to get to spend some time alone with you. It was very thoughtful and well planned out. I love you for taking care of the details. And for taking care of me."

"You're welcome." He pecked her lips once. "Now. Do you wanna go for a swim? I've been eyeing that water ever since we got here and it's been killing me to stay on land."

"I thought I was the only one struggling to not jump in! A swim would be so refreshing after being cooped up on a plane!" She ran her hand down his chest and said in a low voice, "I would really like to see you in swim trunks too."

"I'm going to brush my teeth real quick while you change into your smallest bikini." Fitz told her with a grin. "And then you can brush while I change. Deal?"

"Deal! I'll meet you out here in ten minutes."

Six minutes later, Fitz slid the glass door open and stepped out into the bright sunlight. Olivia was already in the water, swimming like a fish. "Liv?!" he accused with fake saddened outrage. "You didn't wait for me?"

"Fitz. It's Bora Bora! Of course I didn't wait for you!" She said while treading water. "Come on. Get in. This water feels like heaven on your skin. I'm starting to believe it's magical."

Fitz went down the few wooden steps that led to the lower deck. He jumped into the air over the water before grabbing his knees and dropping like a stone right in front of her. A perfect cannonball. Water splashed her face as he sank into the clear blue water. When he broke the surface, he immediately wiped his eyes and looked at Liv. She giggled and splashed water into his face before swimming away as fast as she could.

Chuckling at her revenge, Fitz wiped his eyes again and swam after her. They stayed in the gloriously perfect blue water for quite a while sharing kisses and splashes.

A little while later, Olivia swam over to the wooden deck and pulled herself up out of the water. Feeling Fitz's eyes on her, she slowly walked up the steps to where the padded lounge chairs were. Settling herself on her back, she tilted her face up, closed her eyes, and let the sun dry her wet skin. The warm rays felt heavenly, and after a few minutes she began to nod off.

Wet hands plucked her up out of her chair and devious laughter filled her ears. Olivia opened her eyes just in time to see Fitz midair, with her in his arms. She held her breath quickly and the two of them went under the water a second later. When she came up to the surface Olivia started laughing.

Fitz's head popped up in front of her a moment later. He half expected her to be mad at him for taking her out of her peaceful slumber and jumping into the water with her. Her laughter was a welcomed sound and he joined in laughing with her. "Sorry, Liv. I couldn't resist."

"It's okay." She replied. Her arms came around his neck and she gave him a genuine smile. "You have to go to sleep at some point." She swam to the deck and got out once again.

"Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiv?" Fitz called out, slightly worried now. "I love you. Babe?"

Olivia chuckled to herself but kept walking back to her chair.

Fitz got out too and followed her, grabbing a nearby towel. He needed something to break the ice. "Hey, Liv? Are you hungry? I could order us something to eat."

"Yes please. I'm starving. Breakfast would be great right now."

"What would you like?"

"Pancakes and fresh fruit please. And a really tall glass of ice cold orange juice." she told him.

"That sounds great. I think I'll have the same thing." He leaned down and gave her a smacking kiss. "Be right back."

Fifteen minutes later, there was a knock on the door and breakfast was delivered. The pair decided to eat at the table and chairs outside since the weather was nice and they weren't totally dry yet. Two silver domes covering their plates were lifted and food was revealed. Three fluffy pancakes were neatly stacked up on the plate. Two small pats of butter and a container of syrup were nearby. A white ceramic bowl was filled with pineapple, mango, cantaloupe, honeydew, and grapes. It was a colorful dish to complement the bland color of the pancakes. Both of them dug in, eating ravenously.

After breakfast, Olivia wanted to go for a walk to look around. They went inside and got dressed in shorts and t-shirts. Olivia grabbed her ball cap and sunglasses to not be noticed, while Fitz just wore sunglasses. Secret Service – also dressed like tourists – followed behind at a respectable distance. They leisurely walked down the long narrow wooden pier that had led them to their bungalow. They only saw two people outside, and both she and Fitz greeted them with cheery 'good mornings'.

Finally, they made it to the end of their pier. Greeted by the golden tan sand and lush foliage, they continued walking. The wooden pier ended and turned into a cement path and continued to wind through the island.

Olivia pointed to a dirt path that followed the cement one. "What's that?"

"Probably a trail for riding bikes." Fitz guessed.

"Ooooh! That might be fun to do one evening."

Fitz took her hand and said, "that can certainly be arranged."

"Everything is so beautiful here. The water is extra blue. The sun is golden yellow. Even the leaves and grass are a different shade of green. It's almost like more time and attention was spent when this place was created."

"That's exactly what I think every time I see you."

Olivia smiled and took quick little steps in an arch until she was standing in front of him. She got up on her tiptoes and put her arms around his neck. "I like vacation Fitz."

"You do?" He asked with a grin as his arms came around her waist.

"MmmHmm. He says the sweetest things."

"He puts a lot of thought into those sweet things he says too."

"It shows." Olivia teased back. She could see Tom and Jeffery standing a little way behind Fitz's back, but she ignored them. "I love you."

"I love you back" he said, and dipped his head to kiss her. His tongue slid into her mouth and she pulled him closer while making a sound of approval. Fitz ended the kiss, not wanting to cause a scene out in public where Liv could be recognized.

A person walked past them and commented, "nice hat."

"Thank you." Olivia cheerfully answered.

Taking her hand again, he made a suggestion as they began walking again. "I think we need to get you a new hat."

"What's wrong with my hat?" She asked, touching it.

"Nothing at all. It might be nice to have a hat from the French Polynesian so you look like a tourist instead of someone from the States though."

"That's a good idea. See, vacation Fitz is eager to buy me new things. That's another reason why I like him." She replied with a chuckle.

He squeezed her hand gently before bringing her hand to his lips and kissing her knuckles. "If vacation Fitz is buying it, he gets to pick out the hat."

"I get final approval."

Fitz quickly glanced behind them and in front of them before settling his baby blues on her beautiful face. In a low voice he humbly replied, "Yes, Madam President."

Olivia raised both eyebrows and gave him a smoldering look. Poking him in the chest she softly said, "don't start something you can't finish, Mr. Grant."

Fitz put his hands on her hips and walked her backwards until she found herself up against a tree with a soft thud. She looked up at him as if she was waiting for him to consume her right there on the spot. His voice was threatening. "I can finish just fine, Miss. Pope."

Olivia licked her lips as her eyes dipped to his. A yearning sound vibrated in her throat.

He leaned closer, getting in her neck. His lips blazed a trail on her skin as he made his way to her ear. "The things I'm going to do to you once I've had a short nap."

Olivia laughed and pushed away from him. "If I didn't need a nap myself, I'd be more upset."

They walked into a small gift shop and looked around. Fitz began looking through the hats, trying to find the perfect one for Liv. He glanced up to spot her, even though he knew Tom and Jeffery had her in their sights. She was looking through the clothing. She was a female through and through. He continued to look at the different hats, holding onto the ones he liked to show to her later.

"Look at this dress, Fitz. Isn't it gorgeous?" Olivia said, appearing out of nowhere right next to him. She was holding up a beautiful mint colored dress with island flowers on the print.

"That can't be a dress." He said, squinting at it. "It looks more like a tablecloth."

She rolled her eyes at him. "You know nothing about fashion. I love it and I'm going to get it. This one too."

"Ooooh, that one is pretty, and it's red. Your favorite color. Is it strapless?"

"MmmHmm."

"What's the deal with this tie on the side? Does that open up the whole thing?"

"MmmHmm."

"You're definitely getting that one! And I'm going to pull on that tie when we get back to the bungalow to kick off fun time after dinner." Fitz informed her, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I can live with that. How did the hat hunt go?"

"Very good." He replied proudly. "I found this straw bucket hat with this cute bow on the side. It looked very you."

Olivia made a face and shook her head side to side.

Ignoring her dissatisfaction Fitz continued showing her the hats he had found there. "They have a panama Jack hat with a black band around it. It's dressy enough to be worn with shorts or a dress. And the black band will match everything you own."

"Better." was all she said.

"This crocheted raffia one is really cute. And it has turquoise beads around it, giving it an island vibe."

"That one is cute, but what else you got?"

He presented her with a large sun hat, and watched her eyes practically pop out of her head. He knew she'd love this one. It was why he'd saved it for last. "This one is a large floppy hat for lots of protection from the sun as well as nosey tourists. Personally, I like the double fringe around the edges. It's very chic and modern and it's on trend for twenty twenty."

She opened her mouth to ask him how in the hell he could he possibly know that.

"I am well aware that I'm not Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, or even Michael Kors. But I do know how to dress myself, and I look fantastic on a daily basis."

Olivia grinned and reached up, running her hand along his newly stubbled cheek.

Fitz pulled his head away from her hand and shot her an annoyed look for pointing out his vacation stubble. "And I know what looks good on you. This hat is the one, Liv and you know it."

"It is the one. I love it, it's on trend, and well...it's gorgeous. but I do enjoy watching you slide into fixer mode."

He clenched his jaw as his head moved closer to hers until his lips hovered just over hers. "This fixer is going to slide into you later on" he threatened softly before pecking her lips.

Olivia grabbed him by the back of the neck, pulling him closer, making the kiss last longer. She broke the kiss abruptly, looked into his brilliant blue eyes, and said, "buy me the dresses and the trendy hat too please."

"Okay. Do you want to find somewhere to get lunch while we're out?"

"That sounds good to me."

Fitz paid for her items and asked the sales woman to cut the tag off the hat.

Once outside, Olivia switched hats quickly as Tom and Jeffery stood at a distance. She put her Georgetown University cap inside the bag with her new dresses. Fitz carried the bags in one hand and held her hand with his empty one.

They ate lunch at an open restaurant on the beach called Bloody Mary's a while later. It was a beautiful place across the street from the water. It had a sand floor and cute wooden tables and small wooden bar stools for seats. Olivia had a fresh tuna salad sandwich and Fitz had bacon cheeseburger. Both were delicious.

By the time they were done eating neither one of them could stop yawning. He paid the bill, leaving a generous tip, collected the bags from the floor near his chair, and the two of them headed back to the bungalow as once again, Tom and Jeffery kept their distance.

On a yawn Olivia said, "I think the jet lag is kicking in right now. I need to lay down for a few hours or I'll never last until dinnertime."

"I'm..." Fitz yawned loudly. "right there with you. Are you going to be upset with me if I get a cab instead of us walking?"

"God, no! I was about to suggest it myself." Olivia said in a sleepy voice. She perked up when she saw an empty cab. "There's one!"

Fitz raised his arm, making eye contact with the driver who sat up a little straighter in his seat and nodded at them. He opened the back door for Olivia and scooted in the seat beside her. Tom sat beside Fitz and Jeffery took the front seat without a word. Fitz gave the driver the name of where they were staying and laid his head back against the seat.

Tom tapped on Fitz's arm the moment they arrived at their destination. He blinked his eyes open, surprised that they had gotten their so quickly. Money was given to the driver and all four of them exited the car.

The walk down the pier to the last bungalows seemed infinitely longer than it did when they left. It was slow going, but when they made it back, Fitz and Olivia watched Tom and Jeffery veer off to the bungalow housing her Secret Service agents as they kept going to theirs.

Olivia opened the door and trudged inside. She heard Fitz drop the bags near the door, but she didn't look back at him. She was having a difficult time keeping her eyes open. A clothing trail was left in her wake on her way to the bed. It had already been made up by housekeeping and it made her groan knowing she'd have to work at getting in the bed. She had been thinking about sleeping on those cool sheets for the past half hour.

Crawling up to the pillow, she jerked the blanket and sheets down before she dropped face down on the pillow. "Oh my god, Fitz. C'mere. This bed feels so good."

He had stripped down on his way to the bed too, and getting in on the vacant side, flopped down on a groan. "Just a little nap. And then we'll go out for dinner, okay?"

"Should I set an alarm?" she mumbled.

"No, we'll get up on our own. I'll wake you up in two hours."

"Nite."

Four hours later, Fitz opened his bleary eyes. They felt like they had every grain of sand in Bora Bora in them. He was still beyond exhausted, but he knew their window of being able to go out and get dinner somewhere low key was growing smaller by the hour. The later it got, the more people would be out and about. And that meant more chances of Olivia being noticed by someone. He had plans to get her flat on her back the second they got back from dinner anyways. It was time to get that plan underway, and it started with him waking her up.

Looking at her, you'd never know she was the President. She was snoring lightly and mumbling something unintelligible in her sleep. "Liiiv?"

She never even acknowledged him.

He gently rubbed her back and spoke a little louder, even though he wanted nothing more than to lay down beside her and go back to sleep too. "Liiiiiiiiiiv? Come on. We've got to get up."

"Go away." she mumbled.

"Aren't you hungry? You wanna go get some dinner somewhere nice?"

"No." She never opened her eyes.

"We can come back here and swim some more after dinner. It'll be cooler by then. I'll bet we can skinny dip in the pretty blue water and no one would even know."

"I hate you." She opened one eye, groaned, and then closed it again, rolling over.

He chuckled at her antics and reached a hand under the sheet to lightly pinch her ass. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Get up."

"That's your name." She informed him without moving.

"Sleeping Beauty? Why is that my name?"

"That's what Huck called you when you fell asleep at the hospital last year."

"Can we please go a day without talking about Huck?" Fitz whined. "We're on vacation, Liv."

She rolled over and opened both of her eyes, even though they screamed for her to shut them again. "Fine. No more talking about him. I'm up! See?"

"Do you want to take a shower first or do you want me to?"

"Nooooo. I'll go first. You'll use up all the hot water. I know your tricks."

"Liv, you've got to get out of bed if you're going to take a shower first."

"I'm in the shower in my mind."

"Fine. I'll try to save you some water. No promises though." He got up, knowing she'd spring to her feet any second.

"I'm up, Fitz! Go pick out something to wear that I like. Since you're the fashion police now." She darted out of his way as he leaned towards her to swat her ass.

An hour later both of them were stepping out on the pier again. Olivia was wearing her mint green "tablecloth" and Fitz was wearing navy pants and a crisp white button up shirt. Both of them had eyed each other longingly while they got ready for dinner. Now that they were leaving, neither one of them wanted to go. They had each had moments of almost voicing how they felt about going out, but neither wanted to let the other one down.

Finally, Olivia became bold enough to speak up. Turning to Fitz she asked, "do you really want to go to dinner tonight?"

His reply was quick. "Hell no. I want to stay here and do things to you."

She saw Tom and Jeffery step outside in her peripheral vision, but she figured they would get the hint that they weren't going anywhere real quick. "I don't either. I want you back inside and naked. And you have thirty seconds to get that way."

He yanked her roughly up against his body and ravaged her mouth. Their tongues slid against each other as they pulled each other close. His hand slid up her bare thigh when it discovered the slit in her dress. Finally, his lips left Olivia's and moved into her neck. He kissed and nibbled the tender skin there before whispering in her ear, "you've only got twenty seconds to do the same. Any clothing still on your body after that will be removed by my teeth."

Olivia groaned and stumbled back towards the door. She pulled Fitz inside and shut it behind them. Both of them were back in the bed, fully undressed, well before either threatened timeline.

The next morning, Olivia carefully slid out of bed and picked up the first thing her hands found on the floor. She wanted to watch the sunrise. It had been too long since she had been able to do so. Very quietly tiptoeing out of the bedroom, Olivia made her way to the bathroom to relieve her screaming bladder. She quietly closed the door and flipped the switch on the wall, causing the small room to fill with bright light. It was a stark contrast the darkness in the rest of the indoor space, and she had to squeeze her eyes tightly to keep from momentarily going blind.

As she sat on the toilet, she pulled whatever item of clothing she had retrieved from the floor on her body. She cracked one eye open and glanced down once it was on and smiled. She had gotten Fitz's white dress shirt. Inhaling deeply, his scent filled her nostrils. It started out a pleasant smell, but quickly soured, making her feel ill. She quickly wiped and flushed before turning around and throwing up the contents of last night's late room service.

Olivia stilled to see if that was the end of it or if there was more to come up. It seemed to be over for now. She prayed that Fitz hadn't heard it. She flushed the toilet once again and pulled the lid down before turning to sit on top of it. Taking an unsteady breath, Olivia put a hand lovingly on her flat belly and spoke softly. "You can't do that whenever you want to. We've talked about this, little one. I still haven't told your daddy about you yet."

**The next chapter will be more of their little vacation in Bora Bora. I hope you all are enjoying it so far. Stay safe. Until next time...**


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